Literature, Medieval -- Translations into English; Tales
Shortly after the emperor treated with the king of Hungary for the
marriage of his daughter. Then came the king of Hungary to the emperor's
palace, and when he had seen his daughter, he liked marvellous well her
beauty and her behaviour, so that the emperor and the king were accorded
in all things as touching the marriage, upon the condition that the
damsel would consent. Then called the emperor the young lady to him, and
said, "O, my fair daughter, I have provided for thee, that a king shall
be thy husband, if thou list consent; therefore tell me what answer thou
wilt give to this." Then said she to her father, "It pleaseth me well;
but one thing, dear father, I entreat of you, if it might please you to
grant me: I have vowed to keep my virginity, and not to marry these
seven years; therefore, dear father, I beseech you for all the love that
is between your gracious fatherhood and me, that you name no man to be
my husband till these seven years be ended, and then I shall be ready in
all things to fulfil your will." Then said the emperor, "Sith it is so
that thou hast thus vowed, I will not break thy vow; but when these
seven years be expired, thou shalt have the king of Hungary to thy
husband."
Then the emperor sent forth his letters to the king of Hungary, praying
him if it might please him to stay seven years for the love of his
daughter, and then he should speed without fail. Herewith the king was
pleased and content to stay the prefixed day.
And when the seven years were ended, save a day, the young lady stood in
her chamber window, and wept sore, saying, "Woe and alas, as to-morrow
my love promised to be with me again from the Holy Land; and also the
king of Hungary to-morrow will be here to marry me, according to my
father's promise; and if my love comes not at a certain hour, then am I
utterly deceived of the inward love I bear to him."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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