‘Bernart, it is a common thing that he who cannot win should make light of the loss; just as the fox spoke to the cherry-tree. For after she had tried everything she still saw the cherries a long way off, and then she said that they were worth nothing; and that is exactly how you talk.’ ‘Peirol, the cherries are all very well, but evil befal me if I believe that the fox never had a taste of them.’ ‘Bernart, that is not my affair, but I regret my good faith; for I have gained nothing by it.’ It is now necessary to mention one of the most celebrated and most characteristic _tensos_ in Provençal literature—a kind of battle-royal in which each of the three contending poets tries to outshine the others by brilliancy of wit and subtlety of argument. The subject, it need hardly be added, is love. But thereby hangs a tale which it will be best to relate in the words of the old manuscripts. ‘Savaric de Mauleon,’ says the biographer of that well-known troubadour, ‘went to Benaujatz to see the Viscountess Lady Guillelma, and he turned his mind towards her. And he took with him Sir Elias Rudel, lord of Bergerac, and Jaufre Rudel of Blaia. All three wooed her love, and each of them had been her cavalier aforetime; but none knew it of the other. All three were seated with her, one on one side, the other on the other, and the third in front of her. Each of them gazed at her lovingly, and she, who was the boldest lady ever seen, began to look at Sir Jaufre Rudel lovingly, for he was sitting in front, and she took the hand of Sir Elias Rudel de Bergerac and pressed it very amorously, and she put her foot on that of Sir Savaric with a smile and a sigh. None knew of the favour the others had received, till they had left the castle, when Sir Jaufre Rudel told Sir Savaric how the lady had looked at him, and Sir Elias related that about the hand. And Savaric, when he heard that each of them had found such favour, became very sad; but he said nothing of what had happened to himself, but he called Gaucelm Faidit and Uc de la Bacalaria, and asked them in a stanza who had received the highest favour and love at her hands.’ This stanza is the opening one of the _tenso_ in question. It runs thus:— Gaucelm Faidit, and good Sir Hugh, Three amorous questions I will ask: Choose ye what side seems good to you, The third to hold must be my task:— One lady’s charms three knights inspire; She, sore beset by their desire, Would fain each lover’s wish abet, When all the three with her are met. At one she looks with loving eye: The other’s hand takes tenderly; Gladdens the third with footstep sly. To tell me now I ask of ye, Who was most favoured of the three.