The White Knight: Tirant Lo BlancMartorell, Joanot
General
The White Knight: Tirant Lo Blanc
Martorell, Joanot
Adventure and adventurers -- Fiction; Adventure stories; Knights and knighthood -- Fiction
The messenger went back to his lord with the reply, and the king
was so enraged that he dug his spurs into his horse, and all his
men followed. The battle was harsh and cruel. After they had
fought for a time, and there were many deaths on both sides, King
Meneador retreated toward the mountain, and he sent for his
brother, the King of Lower India, to come to his aid. When he
was there, King Meneador told him:
"Brother, these baptized Christians are fighting so hard that
I've lost most of my men, and I'm slightly wounded too. I won't
hold myself as a knight unless I kill with my own hands a great
traitor who is their captain. His armor and the vest he wears
are damask green with three stars on each side. On one side
they're gold and on the other side silver. Around his neck he
wears a gold Mohammed with a long beard. And this Mohammed
carries a small child holding onto his neck as he crosses a
river. And that must be the one who helps him in his battles."
The King of Lower India haughtily replied:
"Show him to me. I will avenge you even if he has ten Mohammeds
in his belly."
His men quickly mounted their horses and bore down upon the
Christians. Shouting wildly, like madmen, they went into battle,
and soon you could see horses running around without riders.
When Tirant broke his lance, he made use of his ax, and he
wounded or gave death with every blow. The two kings drew up to
Tirant and wounded him with the point of a sword. Finding
himself wounded, Tirant cried out:
"Oh, king, you who have dealt me a deadly wound according to the
great pain I feel, before I enter hell, you will go before me as
a messenger to open the gates, for I will send you there
quickly!"
He brought his ax down on the king's head, splitting it into two
parts, and the king fell at the feet of his horses. When the
Moors saw his body on the ground, they struggled to pick it up.
This was the King of Lower India who had spoken so boastfully.
When the other king saw his brother dead, he fought desperately.
The other kings were told of his death, the King of Bogia in
particular, for he had brought them together. Then they raised
camp and set up their tents at the foot of the mountain.
The Christians, seeing how many men they had and that Tirant was
wounded and in great pain, decided to leave during the night.
The following morning the Moors prepared to give battle, but they
found no one. They followed the Christians' tracks and came to
the city where they had taken refuge.
Tirant had Lord Agramunt take his men out and do battle with
them, and many men died on both sides. Then the Christians
retreated back into the city while the Moors pounded on the gates
with their lances.
The following day Lord Agramunt led his men into battle, and many
died on both sides, and again they retreated into the city.
Tirant was troubled that he could not take part, and that they
were losing men, and he told the king:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account