Lancelot and the Hart with the White Foot: Part 2
In which the story is briefly actually about Lancelot
There you are! Is it safe to assume you’d like to skip the small talk and get back to where we left off?
-Sir Bedevere
-
The story tells us next
that at the same time
Lanceloet had just arrived at court.
When he had heard this account
he spoke impetuously:
"By my faith, I fully intend
to follow this little dog."
He quickly called for his squire
and had his arms and armor brought to him,
and he made haste like a man bound
to ride in quest of honor and renown,
whereupon he departed Artur’s court.
He was pleased and happy.
Now it was the season
that corn was growing in the fields.
He trotted along, singing as he went,
neither too fast nor too slow.
He did not have the faintest idea
of where he was headed,
but wherever the dog had a mind
to go, he followed quickly after;
this at least is what I heard.
He kept to neither road nor street
but rode after the dog in great haste.
He took no rest whatsoever
until he caught sight of that valley
where he came upon the river.
Then he saw how the dog
jumped immediately into the water.
At that Lanceloet followed him
and gave his horse free rein;
he leapt in fearlessly
and rode across those wide waters.
After that Lanceloet dismounted
onto the green grass
and waited until he was dry,
he and his horse both.
Then he adjusted his saddle
and mounted boldly
and rode thence toward the forest.
The journey was longer than my tale,
of that you may be assured.
And so he rode forth and saw
the forest in the direction in which he was riding.
Before he could pass through the gate
the lions caught sight of him:
they attacked him ferociously.
He immediately began to defend himself fearlessly
against the lions with his sword,
for he intended to do them grievous harm.
There were seven lions there at the time.
Listen and I shall tell you why,
if you would care to hear the reason.
There had been a knight there before
him who had killed three of them.
He had defended himself desperately;
yet in the end he had to die
and lose his life.
(I am not claiming that this is the truth,
but just as I have heard it,
so I may tell it to you.)
The daring knight Lanceloet
struck many a blow against the lions,
who viciously and boldly attacked him
and did not try to avoid him.
He rode in amongst them,
striking furiously and fiercely.
He received then in turn
three great gaping wounds;
then the battle turned serious for him.
He defended himself with all his strength;
he realized that on his honor
he could hold back no longer.
He was not one to turn back
or run away when he was in danger.
He immediately struck three of them dead.
The others attacked him viciously
and caused him pain and suffering
and put up a hard fight
until he slew all of them.
When they lay dead in the sand,
he began to lament his wounds.
Yet he thanked God earnestly
that he was still alive
after fighting for so long
against those vicious lions.
If he had not been so strong,
he never would have survived.
He went to where his horse stood
and put his foot to the stirrup.
Wounded and tired though he was,
he mounted in great haste
and rode on into the forest.
His pain weighed heavily upon him.
He heard the birds singing.
The fragrance of the sweet herbs,
of which many grew in that forest,
raised his spirits.
He rode here and there.
He heard many a song
from the birds, which pleased him well
and took away some of his suffering
He looked all about him,
and then he saw the stag
lying beneath a clove-tree.
Now listen to what Lanceloet did next.
He gave spur to his horse,
the stag saw him and bolted,
but Lanceloet rode after it,
tired and hurt though he was.
The little dog left him behind.
Before he knew it, it had caught the stag.
When it had brought the stag down
he galloped up to it
and dismounted onto the grass.
He was eager to have the white foot
and he cut it off with his sword.
Then he fell down to the ground;
he could no longer remain standing.
At that moment he saw a knight
approaching him on a large warhorse.
Then Lanceloet asked him
to come to him there
and take the white foot
and to promise him on his honor
that he would take it to the damsel
and moreover tell her
that he lay in the forest,
grievously wounded
—he would return as soon as he was able—
and no one was to marry her
until he came to her.
"Tell her that I wish her well,
at all times.
I have gone to such lengths
on account of the virtue and honor
I have heard others attribute to her ."
Thereupon he put forth his hand
and gave the knight the foot.
It would have been better for him
had he not given it to him.
What will be and is fated to happen,
that must surely come to pass.
When the knight had taken the foot
he drew his sword and struck Lanceloet
a blow he barely survived.
He committed a shameful deed—
if only it could have been otherwise!—
and won little honor by it.
He found him wounded and wounded him still
more, and repaid him evil for good;
just as people do today
May Immortal God
restrain all such evil persons
so that they may reconsider
and leave off their evil ways
and act with righteousness.
When this knight, who was very wicked,
had wounded Sir Lanceloet
—so that he expected him to die
of the wound—he rode off
to where the queen dwelt at the time.
He was in heart and mind
exceedingly and exceptionally pleased
that things had turned out thus for him;
he expected fully to become a great lord.
But before the poem is over
he will surely find out whether
his game does him any good.
Why make a long story of it?
When the knight approached the castle
and came riding up to it
a page took his horse
and led it to where it was well cared for.
How happy he was when he saw that!
He himself went into the hall,
where he was well received
by both knights and ladies,
of whom there were many to be seen there.
The damsel herself came forward,
wishing to make him welcome there
because he was a stranger to her.
Then she entered an orchard and sat
the grass, and the knight went with her.
hear what he did next.
"Lady," he said, "you have sworn
before all the people of your kingdom
that you would marry no man,
but the one who should bring you
white foot of the stag.
Now behold it here and do
as you think proper on this occasion.
I won it honestly and honorably
with my sword from the lions,
who attacked me fiercely and boldly.
I have won you lawfully.
May ill fortune befall anyone
who begrudges me this—
such trials have I suffered for its sake."
When the damsel understood this,
she rose and took her leave
and said that she would consider it.
She went immediately to her chamber.
"Wretched woman that I am, what has
befallen me? God grants me no honor!
What is this that I am told:
what have I, poor woman, done wrong
against God our Lord?"
She wept most bitterly
and lamented her misfortune.
"Lord, is this my reward
for constantly praying to God
that he send me a man with whom
I could live my life in happiness?
I believe that in all the wide world
there is none so ugly as he.
Wretch that I am, what has befallen me?
He doesn't look capable of valiant deeds,
he is so ugly and evil, too.
This greatly displeases me, to be sure."
Then her maidens noticed her
and they went to her
when they saw her standing there, weeping.
They all asked her what the
trouble was and what was wrong with her.
She said, "I shall tell you everything .
Did you not just now see that evil knight
whom I welcomed so warmly?
It seems to me that this is how things stand:
he has brought me the white foot.
I beg you to help me
and give me good advice.
You can see how things stand with me."
One of the maidens standing there
said, "Lady, please consider,
our advice is of no use to you.
It Would be wise to see to it
that your liegemen are sent for
so that they might advise you.
This seems to me the best thing to do."
Then the damsel said at once,
"Then I shall immediately send
for all my knights throughout the land,
that all those who belong to my kingdom
come in all haste
to where there is great need of their help."
Then many a bold knight came there
as well as many a squire,
before the sun had set
and early the next day.
I heard tell that no fewer than
six thousand came
of men who owed her fealty.
Three crowned kings came as well,
before the sun brightened the day,
and with them so many men
chat it is impossible for me to name them.
They dismounted and entered the hall.
The damsel received them well.
Then the queen bade them all go
quickly together into the garden
along with all those they wanted
to accompany them and those she thought
would give her the best advice they could,
and those who were well disposed
toward her and whom she could trust;
all these she bade enter, and no one else.
She went with them into the orchard.
The kings addressed her, asking her
what her commands were and what she desired.
She said that she would tell them.
"A knight has come to me here today,
I know not who he is,
and he has brought me the white foot:
it has caused many a good knight
to lose his life.
He has informed me
that he won it in combat.
If what he says is true,
then I shall never again
know happiness or honor,
so ugly is he and so wicked.
l need advice on this matter.
Even if he were pleasing as a husband,
God knows it would be unfitting
for him to become lord over all of you."
Then a noble king gave answer,
"Lady, we have heard your account.
Have the knight brought here to us
and when we have heard his story
we shall certainly give you our advice."
Then the knight was called for, and he came;
and when the damsel saw him,
she began to weep bitterly
and said, "Welcome, my lord."
He answered her cordially.
Oh, how distressed the queen was;
that she had ever set eyes on him
was a heavy blow to her heart.
There was a king there who was well disposed
toward his lady, and he at once began
to question the knight
as to why and how
he had come to the court.
When the knight had heard him out,
he said, "My lord, in our land
it is known to many a knight,
and the rumor circulates as well,
that this damsel's situation is such
that she might not marry any man
except the one who brought her
the white foot of the stag.
My father is a noble knight
and he bade me set out
to hunt that stag in the forest.
And hence I have fulfilled that quest.
I have slain the stag
and brought here its foot,
which has cost many a knight his life.
I want what is by rights mine,
for I have suffered much on its account."
When the king had heard this
he thought to himself
that it might well be true.
He said, "My Lady, hearken now.
Our advice and our counsel is that
the wedding be postponed for fourteen days.
I can do no better than this;
much can happen in the meantime."
The knight was ill pleased
that such a long delay had been declared,
for he knew that it was not to his advantage
and he was all the more afraid because of it.
The postponement was unavoidable.
The damsel was happy and pleased with this.
She did not allow the court to disperse;
all her wishes and commands
were quickly carried out.
Now I shall leave off this story
—and leave these lords where they are—
and I shall write about Sir Walewein.