Yvain: The Knight of the Lion by Chrétien de Troyes

Author:Chrétien de Troyes [Troyes, Chrétien de]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780300187588
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

My lord Yvain listened

To everything his host told him, 3900

And when he'd heard him out

He was happy to answer him: “Sir!”

He said. “Your troubles distress me,

And make me exceedingly angry,

But one thing I find astonishing: 3905

Tell me, why haven't you sought

For help at King Arthur’s court?

No one, no matter how mighty,

Could come to that court and not find

Someone willing to test 3910

Their prowess against his.” And then

That wealthy baron explained

That yes, he'd surely have had

The help he needed, if only

He'd known where to find Sir Gawain. 3915

“He'd never have taken it lightly,

For my wife is his sister by blood.

But a knight from some strange country,

Who came to that court seeking her,

Has taken the king’s wife. 3920

He could never have led her away,

To be sure, entirely by himself.

It was Kay, who so befuddled

The king that he allowed the queen

To pass under his protection. 3925

The king was a fool, and the queen

Reckless, entrusting herself

To Kay. But I am the one

Who truly suffers, and loses,

For who can doubt that my lord 3930

Gawain, that noble knight,

Would have hurried here as fast

As he could, had he known this was happening,

Would have saved his niece and his nephews.

But he knows nothing, which hurts me 3935

So deeply that my heart is half broken.

Gawain has gone off hunting

The villain who stole the queen—

May God bring him sorrow and shame!”

Sigh after sigh came 3940

From Yvain, hearing these words.

Pity worked in him and made him

Answer: “My dear good sir!

I'll be glad to take on this adventure,

And its dangers, if only the giant 3945

And your sons come here tomorrow

Early enough not

To cause me too much delay,

Because by noon tomorrow

I must be somewhere else, 3950

As I've given my word to be.”

“Good sir!” exclaimed the baron,

“I thank you a thousand times,

And more, for your willingness to help.”

And all the folk of his household 3955

Spoke exactly as he had.

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