Aucassin was gentle and handsome. He was tall and well made. His legs were good, and his feet were good; his body was good, and his arms were good. His hair was blonde, a little curly. His eyes were like gray fur, for they were near silver, and near blue, and they laughed when you looked at them. His nose was high and well placed. His face was clear and winning. Yes, and he had everything charming, and nothing bad about him. But this young man was so wholly conquered by love (who conquers everybody), that he would not occupy himself in any other thing. He would not be a knight; he would not take arms; he would not go to the tourneys; he would not do any of the things he ought to do. His father was very much troubled by this, and he said to him one morning,-- "My son, take your arms, mount your horse, defend your country, protect your people. If they only see you in the midst of them, this will give them more courage; they will fight all the better for their lives and their homes, for your land and mine." "Father," said Aucassin, "why do you say this to me? "May God never hear my prayers, if I ever mount horse, or go to tourney or to battle, before you have yourself given to me my darling Nicolette,--my sweetheart whom I love so dearly." "My son," said the father to him, "this cannot be. "Give up forever your dreams of this captive girl, whom the Saracens brought from some strange land, and sold to the viscount here. "He trained her; he baptized her; she is his god-child. "Some day he will give her to some brave fellow who will have to gain his bread by his sword. "But you, my son, when the time comes that you wish to take a wife, I will give you some king's daughter, or at least the daughter of a count. "There is not in all France a man so rich that you may not marry his daughter, if you choose." So said the old man. But Aucassin replied,-- "Alas, my father! there is not in this world the principality which would not be honored, if my darling Nicolette, my sweetest, went to live there. "If she were queen of France or of England, if she were empress of Germany or of Constantinople, she could not be more courteous or more gracious; she could not have sweeter ways or greater virtues." [_Now they sing it._] All the night and all the day Aucassin would beg and pray,-- "Oh, my father! give my Nicolette to me." Then his mother came to say,-- "What is it that my foolish boy can see?" "Nicolette is sweet and gay." "But Nicolette's a slave. If a wife my boy would have, Let him choose a lady fair of high degree." "Oh, no! my mother, no! For I love my darling so! Her face is always bright, And her footstep's always light; And I cannot let my dainty darling go. No, mother dear, she rules my heart; No, mother dear, we cannot part." [_Now they speak it, and talk it, and tell it._]