Guingamor, Lanval, Tyolet, Bisclaveret: Four lais rendered into English proseMarie, de France, active 12th century
General
Guingamor, Lanval, Tyolet, Bisclaveret: Four lais rendered into English prose
Marie, de France, active 12th century
Arthurian romances; Knights and knighthood -- Poetry
Then King Arthur asked him if he had brought the foot; and Lodoer
answered that an another would risk his life, the venture yet awaited
him. Then they mocked at him throughout the hall, but he wagged his
head at them and bade them go seek the foot, if by hap they might bring
it back.
Then many set forth to seek the stag, and to win the damsel, but never
a one might sing another song than that which Lodoer of need must sing
(for he was indeed a valiant knight) save one only, who was brave and
swift-footed, and whom men called _Knight-Beast_, though his name, as
ye know well, was Tyolet. For this knight went his way to King Arthur,
and prayed him straitly that the maiden be held at the court for him,
since he would go forth to conquer the adventure of the stag's foot;
never, he said, would he return till he had smitten off the white right
foot of the stag.
The King gave him leave, and Tyolet armed himself right well, and went
to the maiden and prayed of her the loan of her white brachet, which
she granted him freely, and he took leave of her. When he had ridden
and roved long enough he came to the ford of that great and rushing
water which was deep and deadly to look upon; the brachet sprang into
the stream, and swam straightway, and Tyolet plunged in after it and
thus mounted on his steed he followed the dog till he came forth on dry
land. And the brachet ran ever before him and guided him till he came
to where he might see the stag; seven lions they were that guarded it,
and loved it with a great love.
Then Tyolet looked, and saw the stag where it fed alone in a meadow,
and none of the lions were near at hand; and he set spurs to his horse,
and passed before it whistling as he went. The stag came swiftly
towards him, and when Tyolet had whistled seven times it stood still.
Then Tyolet drew his sword, and taking the white right foot in his hand
smote it off at the joint, and hid it within his robe. The stag at
this gave a loud cry, and the lions, who were none too far off, came
swiftly to its aid and beheld the knight.
One of the lions sprang upon the steed Tyolet bestrode, and wounded
it so sorely that it tore away all the skin and flesh from the right
shoulder, and when Tyolet saw it he smote the lion a mighty blow in the
chest, cleaving asunder nerve and sinew--and with that lion had he no
more ado. The steed fell to the ground, and even as the knight sprang
clear the lions were upon him on all sides. They tore the good hauberk
from his back, and the flesh from his arms and ribs, and wounded him
so sorely that they went nigh to devour him altogether. Sorely was he
torn, but at last he slew them, though scarce might he be delivered
from their claws. Then he fell senseless beside the lions, for so torn
and mauled was he that he might not stand upright.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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