Lancelot and the Hart with the White Foot: Part 1
In which Kei makes himself look.... pretty bad
Ah! Hello again! Now, I know what you’re going to ask and rest assured that I have a story for you today! This one’s a Dutch tale, with an English translation taken from the publisher D.S. Brewer’s Dutch Romances series. What happens? Well, you’re about to find out, but beforehand Gawaine and Kei had just finished one of their worst fights yet and our Kei had made quite the fool of himself in front of court and- Ah, I’m getting ahead of myself, that’s a story for another day, let’s focus on the adventure at hand.
-Sir Bedevere
-
The story says, to be sure
that when those lords had left
and the court had dispersed
(about which I have just read)
a damsel came riding there,
a little white dog following behind her.
And as soon as she entered the court
and saw King Artur,
she spoke after the fashion of her country:
“May God in heaven—who has
power over all things—reward you.
My lord, see to it that my words are heard
listen now especially to my tale.
There is in this land a forest
set in a beautiful green valley;
I will tell you about it shortly.
This forest is enclosed
in a valley between two mountains.
It is surrounded by high walls.
I expect that anyone who tried to enter
it by force would find it difficult,
except at one end of the woods
where there stands a very small gate.
At that spot, and no other,
it is possible for one to enter that forest,
if things are as I have heard.
And near a river in the valley
there are many fine and splendid trees
which make it a pleasant place to be.
A stag with a white foot
is master of the water there,
and of the forest that stands in the valley.
Moreover there are on that mountain
lions as large as giants to be seen there
who stand guard over the stag.
Spending the night there would be dangerous:
they are watchful day and night.
I wouldn't want to be their enemy,
they are so fierce·
this I know for sure.
Lord king, you have not yet heard
the reason for my coming here.
The one who has sent me here
is queen in her own land
and liege-lady to many a knight.
I give you my word that
she has as her subjects
three steadfast kings
who are always at her service.
She is fairer than sunshine,
both in her complexion and her hair.
What is more, no one has ever
seen the least sign of baseness in her
She is a very beautiful maiden
and of most noble birth.
She has sworn by her crown
that she would never take to husband
any other than the man who can bring
her the white foot of the stag.
It is not an easy thing to win:
whoever succeeds in killing the lions
will have to carry on the chase for quite
some time before he catches the stag as well;
he will have to endure great trials.
Should anyone wish to set out now,
see here this little dog that will
guide him on the right path
in the forest to where the stag dwells
and to where it roams most frequently."
Keye said, "So help me the Holy Ghost,
my lady, give me the little dog.
I shall certainly be the first
to ride out and test
my fortune in that forest."
The damsel was happy and pleased
and left the little dog behind
with Keye at the court.
She cheerfully took her leave.
Early the previous morning—
that is before the damsel had arrived—
Keye had come to the court,
for you have just heard how
unwelcome he had made himself there.
Now he was reconciled, of that you may be sure,
for his lady the queen
had restored his peace and friendship
with the king and Walewein.
So he was once again at court
and he took charge of the dog
and the next day he went
to where he heard Mass.
Immediately thereafter
he armed himself and rode hence
and the dog ran quickly ahead of him,
with Keye following quickly behind.
It was a fine, bright day.
Many kinds of birds were singing
in the trees and on the ground.
and then just a little before midday
Keye saw a river
that was wide and bottomless,
which he had to cross if he could
think of no better course of action.
The dog did not look for a ford,
but flew across like the wind.
Keye turned his horse
and rode back home again.
The little dog swam resolutely
back over the wide water.
The two of them were at odds.
When he saw it return,
Keye became anxious about
what excuse he would have to offer.
Then he decided that he would
kill the little dog with his sword
and say that it had got away from him.
Though Keye was angry enough,
he could not catch up with it:
no matter how he spurred his horse on,
the dog still outpaced him.
He kept this up all day
until he saw the castle
in which Artur held court.
Then he hung his head
pitifully behind his shield.
Sir Walewein came along
and mocked him severely.
Keye said, "So help me God,
I wasn't very far from here
when—and this vexes me sorely—
a great illness overtook me.
I Was forced then to turn back.
I dared not go any further;
I didn't know what had come over me.”
Now I shall leave off about Keye
and tell you about Lanceloet.