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Canto 27

How Reynard came another time to the court.

 

1

 

Said Reynard, “Dear Nephew, let these things pass;

     come inside and see what I shall give you :

     a good pair of fat pigeons. Look at these;

     I love no meat better. They be easy

     to digest, and may well be swallowed whole.

     The bones are half blood; I eat ’em with the rest.

     I feel myself terribly encumbered

     in my stomach if I overdo the feast.

Generally speaking I gladly eat light meat.”

 

2

 

Grimbert said, “That’s very interesting.”

     “My wife Ermelyne” (Reynard continued)

     “shall receive us friendly; but say nothing

     of this thing, okay? She would take it hard.

     My wife is tender inside. If she’s afraid

     for us she might fall into some sickness;

     a little thing goeth sore to her heart.

     Then tomorrow early we’ll go to Court.

If I come to speech and be heard, I’ll touch the crowd.”

 

3

 

“Dear nephew,” the sly Fox went on to say,

     “will ye stand by me as a friend ought to do?”

     “Oh yes,” Grimbert the Badger said, “truly,

     dear Uncle, all my good is up to you;

     my will is at your commandment.” “Thank you”

     (answered Fox) “That is well said. If I live,

     I shall repay your love.” “If I were you”

     (said Badger) “I wouldn’t worry. You are safe

before the Lords as long as you are in your words.”

 

 

to be continued

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cont’d : How Reynard came another time to the court.

 

4

 

So the Fox and the Badger spoke no more,

     but went into the burrow, and scurried

     down the channels and entered the castle,

     where Ermelyne lay quiet with her brood;

     and when the little ones saw Sir Grimbert

     they rose up anon and welcomed him well.

     The Badger saluted his Aunt, and met

     the younglings with friendly words. The little

pigeons were prepared for supper; and each ate their fill.

 

5

 

“How do you like my children?” (asked Reynard)

     “This is Rossel, this little one Reynardine.

     They shall carry on our family name with pride.

     They already begin to do well. This one

     catcheth a chicken, that one a baby hen.

     They also swim after peewits and ducks.

     I would send them out more often for food

     but first I must teach them to watch for snares,

to listen for hunters, and how to flee the hounds.”

 

6

 

“Once they grow wise I’ll trust them to bring us

     many different meats on my want list.

     They like their father and follow me well.

     For example—when they play, they look fierce;

     but when they hate they smile, knowing this

     is they way to get ’em under their feet;

     then they fix their teeth and open the throat.

     This, nephew, is the nature of the Fox :

they be swift in their taking. This pleaseth me well.”

 

 

to be continued

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cont’d : How Reynard came another time to the court.

 

7

 

“Dear uncle” (said Grimbert) “you must be glad

     to have such wise children. I’m awfully glad,

     too, that they be my kin.” Then said Reynard,

     “Grimbert, you’re all sweaty, and must be tired;

     it were high time that you were tucked in bed.”

     In answer Grimbert the Badger replied,

     “Uncle, if it pleases you, I think it good.”

     So on a straw litter each lay their head,

and Ermelyne and her younglings fell into dream.

 

8

 

But while Castle Malperdy lay hushed

     with sleeping Beasts, Reynard felt all heavy.

     Wide awake he lay sighing through the night,

     worrying over his problems in plenty.

     How best he might excuse himself from this

     latest Situation made him sorrow

     in the dark, and wonder, till he drifted off.

     At dawn he and Grimbert prepared to go;

but first, goodbyes were said before he’d meet his foe.

 

9

 

“Think not long on this,” he said to Ermelyne.

     “I must go to Court with cousin Grimbert.

     If I am gone awhile, never fear;

     and whatever news you hear, take it best.

     See well to yourself, and keep our Castle well.

     I shall do the best I can; after that,

     we’ll see how it goeth.” Ermelyne said,

    “Alas, Reynard, you go again to Court?

The last time you were there, you almost lost your life.”

 

10

 

“The adventure of the world is wonderly”

     (Fox said) “and goeth otherwise than we think.

     Many a Beast must eventually

     give up their hopes. Now I goeth to Court.

     But be content; it is all without dread.

     I hope to be back within five days again.”

     At that he departed; and with Grimbert

     went Courtward. When they were fast on the heath,

Reynard said, “Grimbert, I’ve seen some shrewd turns, in truth.”

 

11

 

“I cut a scrip from the skin of the Bear;

     made the Wolf and his Wife lose their shoes;

     I made peace with the King through distortion

     of the truth, saying the Bear and the Wolf

     planned to betray him, and even kill him;

     what I said made the King very angry

     with them whether they deserved it or not.

     Nephew, that’s not too many trespasses,

     you think?” Before Badger could speak, Fox said :

“And I told the King of great treasure, but I lied.”

 

12

 

 “Oh yes” (Fox added) “I sent the severed head

     of Cuwart to the King in mockery;

     and I dubbed the Leopard between his ears

     that I almost took his life, but he got away;

     he was to me overswift. And the Rook

     may well complain for I swallowed his wife.”

     Reynard went quiet while they crossed the heath,

     then added, “And I’d forgotten one thing

which I’ve just bethought me, something of great deceit.”

 

 

to be continued

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A subtlest camera move

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Energetic activity has broken out at the House of Woodcock; work must be done before dawn. Capturing the bustle the camera tracks right, its movement corresponding with the characterological energy. Then the camera slows to a halt and slots into place :

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But only for a moment. To intensify the bustle, the camera, which might otherwise be at the end of its movement (and shot), begins tracking again to the right

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to reveal a doubling.

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Some small presses of the later 20th century equivalent to little-known movies

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The Tuinwijkpress, Haarlem

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The Twelve by Eight Press, London

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The Officina Bodoni, Verona

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The Signet Press, Scotland

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Melchior W. Mittl, Mindelheim

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&

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& many, many more.

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Meanwhile . . .

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Nicolete has escaped the tower, slipping down a tether of bedsheets. Her lover Aucassin languishes in his own prison; and so the beautiful maiden flees by moonlight, keeping to the shadowy side of the streets of Biaucaire; and on tiptoe she comes to where her lover lay. She hears him making lament for the sweet lady he loves so well.

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Nicolete similarly chooses to end things on her own terms rather than live without her love. So she flees into a forest, a scary place; and she comes to an ancient way of cross-roads where seven paths meet.

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Will the extraordinary love of Aucassin and Nicolete, all those years ago, come to a happy ending?

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Euripides and Quentin Tarantino

 

Mannix. Well cut my legs off and call me Shorty . . . !

 

               Xuthus. κτενε κα πίμπρη . . .

 

                               Kill me and burn me . . . !

               or

                               Kill me and chuck me on the pyre!

 

Ion, 527

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cont’d : How Reynard came another time to the court.

 

13

 

“I was walking once with the Wolf” (said Fox)

     between Houthulst and Elverding. There we

     saw a red Mare go, and with her a black colt

     or foal of four months, who was good and fat.

     The Wolf was hungry and about to faint,

     so he asked of me to go to the Mare

     and find out if she would sell us the foal.

     So I ran fast to the Mare and asked her; 

and she told me she would sell her foal for money.”

 

14

 

“I asked of her how she would sell it to us,

     and she said, ‘It is written on my back foot.

     If ye have skill to read and act the scholar 

     ye may come see and read it.’ By this point,

     I would have you know, I realized her trick,

     so I said, ‘Nay, in truth I cannot read;

     and I have no wish to buy your child.

     But the Wolf—the Wolf over there sent me;

he would have me ask you the price of your child.’”

 

15

 

“So the Mare said, ‘Then let him come himself,

     and I shall give him the knowledge.’ ‘I shall,’

     I said, then rushed to Isengrim the Wolf

     and said, ‘If you would eat your bellyful

     of horse, go quickly to the Mare, who waits

     for you. She has written her child’s price

     under her foot. She asked me to read it,

     but I know not one letter, which I sore

repenteth over, as I never went to school.’”

 

16

 

“‘Good cousin,’ I said, ‘will you buy that colt?

     Luckily you can read, so ye may have it.’

     ‘Oh, cousin!’ said Wolf, ‘I read very well!

     Which language should I employ, I wonder?

     I can speak French, Latin, English, and Dutch.

     I have matriculated from Oxenford,

     I have sat with old and ancient doctors,

     I am licensed in the laws and have heard pleas;

languages are as easy to me as my name.’”

 

17

 

“‘I will go to her,’ said the Wolf; ‘I soon

     shall understand the price.’ Then he bade me

     wait for him; and so he ran to the Mare

     and asked her if she would sell her child

     or keep it. She said, ‘The sum of the money

     standeth written under my foot.’ He said,

     ‘Let me read it.’ She said, ‘Do,’ and lifted

     up her foot which was new shod with iron

and six strong nails; and she dubbed him on the head.”

 

18

 

“And the Wolf fell down as if he’d been dead.

     A Beast should well have rambled a mile

     ere he woke up from that daze. So the Mare

     trotted off with her colt, and left the Wolf

     lying shrewdly hurt and wounded. He lay

     and bled, and howled as a hound. I went

     to him and said, ‘Sir Isengrim, cousin,

     how is it now with you? Eaten enough?

How did the colt taste? And why give ye me no part?’”

 

19

 

“‘I did you your errand, and received nothing

     of the colt. Have ye slept off your dinner yet?

     Please, I pray you tell me what was written

     under the Mare’s foot? Was it prose or rhyme,

     epic or lyric? I’d like to know it.

     I imagine it was cantum, for I heard you

     sing out loud and clear; for you are so wise

     that no Beast could read it better than ye.’

‘Alas, Reynard, alas!’ said Isengrim the Wolf.”

 

20

 

“‘I beg you to leave off your mockery.

     I am so foully done to and sore hurt

     even a heart of stone would show me pity.

     The Mare with her long leg had an iron foot;

     I thought the nails there had been letters.

     I bent in, and then she hit me six times.

     Look at these wounds! My head feels split open!

     I never want to read letters again.’

‘Dear cousin,’ I answered, ‘is that truth ye tell me?’”

 

21

 

“‘I’m surprised; I considered you the wisest

     of us all. Now I know what I heard is true :

     they who read may be far from the wisest.

     The ordinary Beast of the forest

     has knowledge that letters will never tell of.

     People read and read but fail to think,

     and one day they will mourn all their study.’

     Thus I brought the Wolf to great harm and hurt,

for underneath the Mare’s foot he beheld his life.”

 

 

to be continued

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cont’d : How Reynard came another time to the court.

 

22

 

“Dear nephew, now I’ve told you all my sins

     that I remember. Whatever falls at Court

     (and who can know their chances in that place?)

     I’m not so sore afraid now, since I’m acquit

     from sin, as I’ve confessed to you all fault.

     Grimbert, if you can help me come to mercy

     and receive penance, please counsel your Reynard.”

     “Your trespasses” (said Grimbert) “have been many.

Nevertheless what’s dead and gone is history.”

 

23

 

“Therefore” (said Badger) “I hereby forgive you.

     But knowing the other nobles as I do,

     I think ye shall suffer before ye find mercy.

     In any case, Uncle, now I assoil you.”

     “I’m pardoned you mean?” (asked Reynard) “I do”

     (said Badger) “But the worst that might happen

     should happen to you. You sent Cuwart’s head

     to the Court, and blinded the King with lies.

Uncle, all that business was right evilly done.”

 

24

 

“What!” (Fox said) “Dear nephew, who goes through life

     knowing exactly what to see, hear, and do?

     Truly such things may not be clearly done.

     And who in the forest stays as pure as snow?

     Those who taste the honey must lick the fingers.

     But cousin! I am too often troubled

     and pricked in my conscience as to love God,

     and to love his son even as I love myself,

which is to God right, and according to his law.”

 

25

 

“But what I know is right sometimes struggles

     against my will; then I stand all confused

     in myself, and think I’ve lost all my wits,

     and I can’t fix what makes me feel so bad.

     Thank God! I’ve left all that trouble behind

     now that I’m assoiled of all my sins.

     I climb in high contemplation above

     the world, and uphold the commandments.

But this special grace of truth I have when alone—”

 

26

 

“I forget it when I go into the world,

     and when the world cometh to me; then I find

     many an annoyance. I see the tracks

     these loose prelates and rich priests move in,

     and I am very quickly taken again.

     The world allows the flesh to live pleasantly,

     and I see so many things before me

     that I lose all my good thoughts and purpose.

I hear singing and piping, playing and happiness—”

 

27

 

“and I hear those loose prelates and rich priests

     preach, but do otherwise than they think and say.

     Then I learn to lie; ’tis a lesson most used

     in the King’s Court. Certainly Lords, Ladies,

     priests, and scholars are the greatest liars.

     No Beast dares tell a Lord the truth—ever.

     I must flatter and lie, or feel the door

     slam in my face. I know what Beasts are like :

they mix truth and lies and don’t even notice it.”

 

28

 

“Nephew, the world is such that Beasts must lie,

     say this and that, pray and curse, and seek after

     the feeblest and weakest. If this we deny,

     we ourselves are preyed on. Who hasn’t learned

     that the false are won over by the false?

     So the Beast who knows the most subtlety

     that they stammer not in their words, and may

     therefore be heard, this Beast may do wonders

in our world—they may wear the scarlet ermine robe.”

 

29

 

“There are many false Beasts with so little

     that they feel great envy, and fancy themselves

     good liars; so they take on them to lie,

     and to tell it forth. They would gladly eat

     of the fat morsels, if given the chance.

     But these bleaters are nor believed nor heard.

     Then there are the foolish ones who bloviate

     but end with the matter without tail or head;

those fools are mocked mercilessly by all the shrewd.”

 

30

 

“The Beast who can lie with conviction,

     who can pronounce them without any tell,

     who can speak as if reading from a book

     and can so blind the people that their lie

     shall be better believed than any truth :

     that is the Beast. Think now, my dear cousin :

     how smart is it for those who know the truth

     to tell us the truth? What good would that do?

How these false Beasts laugh as they counsel us!”

 

31

 

“We should just laugh right back at it” (Fox said)

    “for whoever saith truth has no home

    in the world. Whoso alway saith truth,

     shall find far too many lies in their way.

     And those who lie find mercy for their lies

     in assoilment, I mean absolution.

     So the successfully false think their lies wise.

     So I ask you : in the world we live in,

who is the wise one?” And Reynard the Fox was done.

 

32

 

Grimbert answered, “What shall it be then, Uncle?

     Verily ye know all things at their narrowest.

     Ye must bring me quickly to your education;

     your reasons passeth my understanding.

     What need ye then to worry for your soul?

     Ye yourself should stand with the priest and prelate,

     and let me and all the sheep come to you

     to hear our confession and be absolved.

Ye know the state of the world that no Beast shall beat you.”

 

33

 

In such manner they came walking into Court.

     Reynard sorrowed somewhat inside his heart;

     nevertheless he bore it out as he went

     through the folk as he approached the King.

     And Grimbert who was by the Fox always

     said, “Uncle, have no fear, but be happy!

     Who that shows cheerfulness, the adventure

     helpeth him.” Grimbert then spoke greater truth :

“Ofttimes one day is better than sometime a whole year.”

 

34

 

Fox said, “Nephew, ye speak well. God thank you,

     ye comfort me well.” He continued forth,

     looking grimly here and there, as if to say,

     “It’s me. What of it?” He saw many of his kin

     who wished him little good, such as the Otter,

     Beaver, and others to the number of ten

     whom I shall name afterward. And there were some

     who loved him. So Reynard the Fox fell on

his knees before the King, and began his words, and said—

 

 

next : How Reynart the foxe excused him bifore the kynge

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