Of King Marsile, the evil Almanzor.
Foul Ganelon paid shamefully henceforth
When judged to die the way that traitors ought.
2. How Lord Macaire sought to deceive Charlemagne
KING CHARLEMAGNE was holding court most high,
With princes, counts and barons highly prized.
Exceeding all were Duke Naimon the wise
And Ogier the Danish thane alike.
Lausanne’s Macaire was also at his side:
The evil knave had laboured hard with bribes
50 Of Bezant coins and deniers to rise
In favour with the King and court alike.
He sat with Charles at meals and over wine,
And had become his intimate in time.
Now hear the plan this villain had contrived
To trick the King and shame him with his wife,
Then force on her his lecherous desires.
The feast-day of St Riquier was nigh,
And Blancheflor had gone to pass some time
With other maids inside a grove of pines.
60 Before them lay a minstrel with his lyre,
Who played to them and sang for their delight,
When suddenly the knave Macaire arrived
In company with sundry other knights.
But only he began to flirt and sigh:
“Your Ladyship, you could, without a lie,
Lay claim to be the fairest Queen alive:
A fairer one I couldn’t think to find.
And truly, it’s a mortal sin, a crime,
That you are wed to someone past his prime!
70 If you and I were partners, day or night
You wouldn’t find a lover more inclined
To treat you well and kiss and hold you tight!”
On hearing this, she stared at him a while,
Then, with a laugh, she made him this reply:
“My lord Macaire, you are so fair a knight
I have to think your flattery’s designed
To test my heart and give my honour trial!”
“Then think again!” Macaire at once replied:
“For there is none, my Lady fair and fine,
80 On land or sea who loves you more than I –
And there’s no pain or threat I’d not abide
To earn your heart and turn your mind to mine.”
On hearing this, she knew he hadn’t lied,
And she was blunt when straightaway she cried:
“My lord Macaire, you do not know my mind!
I’d sooner lose my arms and legs, or die
In agony upon a flaming pyre,
My ashes thrown or wind-blown far and wide,
Than ever act against the King with guile!
90 If ever hence you hail me in this wise,
Or speak of this behind my back in spite,
I’ll tell my lord at once what you have tried.
You wicked wretch, how dare you thus conspire
Or speak this way against your noble Sire?
If he should hear, no wealth you could acquire
From anywhere would ever save your life:
He’d hang you high, for all to see your crime!
Now, leave at once, and vanish from my sight!
This speech of yours, or anything its like
100 To me henceforth, must not be spoken twice!”
On hearing this, Macaire, with sullen eyes,
Strode off – abashed, but seething with despite.
3. How Blancheflor’s grief began
THE QUEEN HERSELF returned at once towards
The palace steps and back inside the hall,
Her heart oppressed by sad and angry thoughts.
Macaire’s despite grew hotter till it boiled:
Unless he had his way with her in all,
He wouldn’t think his manhood worth a coin.
He thought of this, and her, from night till morn,
110 Until, at last, his evil mind had wrought
A tricky plan to trap Queen Blancheflor.
There was, at court, a cunning, hump-backed dwarf,
A ribald rogue who entertained the court.
Approaching him, Macaire’s address was short:
“My little friend, your lucky day has dawned!
If you’re prepared to play the tune I call,
I’ll pay you now so many shiny coins
That you and yours need nevermore be poor.”
The man replied: “Just name the tune, my lord!
120 My pipe’s prepared to play it, rest assured!”
Macaire replied: “Then here it is, in short:
When next you sit beside Queen Blancheflor,
Impress on her how handsome I am thought,
And how, if she would open her heart’s door
To me, she’d see what passion’s fashioned for!”
The dwarf replied: “My lord, say nothing more!
When next I sit beside her I’ll perform
This paean in your praise, and many more!”
“God bless you!” said Macaire. “You may be small,
130 But you will gain such stature in reward
Your little clan will soon be standing tall!”
The dwarf replied: “No fear of that, my lord!”
And left Macaire, gigantic in his joy.
The fiend Macaire returned to bed and board
At lodgings there in happy vein and voice.
The cunning dwarf went straightaway to court.
4. How the dwarf spoke
THE CUNNING DWARF departed very briskly
And spent his time throughout the day in thinking
How best he could address the Queen as bidden.
140 No matter where he saw Macaire, the villain
Kept urging him to get about his business,
To make a start so he could make a finish!
The morrow came, the feast day of St Riquier,
And Blancheflor was in her solar, sitting
With waiting-maids in good and cheerful spirits.
Before them, on his lyre, performed a minstrel,
And many maids were dancing to his rhythms.
The cunning dwarf soon made his way amidst them.
At first he sat beside the Queen, then wriggled
150 Beneath her cloak and lay there like a kitten:
As was his wont, he purred and flirted with her.
The Queen, who knew, but thought no evil in him,
Just stroked her furs, and as he purred, she listened.
But he began the “grrrh!” that he’d been given:
“I am amazed how such a youthful mistress
Can love a man as ancient as the King is!
He’s not a man to satisfy young women!
And you, my Queen, are so petite and pretty
Your loveliness defies a fit description!
160 If you would like, then I could help a little,
By bringing you in secrecy, well-hidden,
A man unmatched for handsomeness of figure:
My lord Macaire – a paragon of vigour!
He is a man of more than moneyed riches:
You’d never tire of what his love could give you!
And you could boast, inside your heart, of winning
The best of men in this or any kingdom.”
On hearing this, she sought and caught his visage:
“Be silent, fool! Don’t sing me such a lyric,
170 Or you will pay beyond your little limits!”
But he pursued: “My lady, reconsider!
I’m sure of this: if you
would let him kiss you
Just once, I know you’d change your way of thinking.”
He pressed the point, and others in addition,
Until the Queen, at last, grew so indignant
She seized the rogue, despite his best resistance –
For she was young and he was not the biggest –
And threw him down her solar-steps so quickly
He hit his head in many spots and split it:
180 “Be gone,” she cried, “be gone, you little villain!
Learn other tunes before you come to visit!”
Now Lord Macaire, his villainy unfinished,
Was standing there when down the dwarf came spinning!
He picked him up and sent for a physician
To bind his skull with bandages of linen.
A week or more the cunning dwarf, bed-ridden,
Was missed at court, who thought his loss a pity:
The King himself asked why the rogue was missing,
And Lord Macaire kept running there and thither
190 To tell them all about the fall he’d witnessed:
“He fell and struck his head against a pillar.
He lies a-bed, but soon he will be risen
To please the court with all his merry mischief!”
5. How the dwarf suffered
ATTENTION, LORDS! Be certain that the geste
Of Mayence was an evil breed of men,
Whose arrogance forever caused distress:
Renaut of Montauban felt their contempt.
Their treachery sold Oliver to death
With Roland and his Peers and many French.
200 And now the Queen was prey to one of them –
Macaire! And he was out to try his best
To shame the name of Charlemagne himself.
For seven days the dwarf remained in bed,
And when he went among the court again,
His head was swathed so thick with bandages
That everyone made jokes about his head
And even Charles laughed heartily himself.
The cunning dwarf – who wasn’t short on sense –
Told not a word to anybody else
210 About what he or Blancheflor had said.
He kept himself, from then on, with the men
And never saw or spoke with her again.
He knew her rage, and certainly her strength,
And wasn’t one for tempting Providence!
The Queen indeed would ask for him – and yet
He kept away – his head was not that dense!
Though all the gold that gilds the Orient
Were offered him, he swore he’d never hence
Address the Queen or bow to her behests.
220 Now he as well was filled with spite, and spent
His days and nights in plotting some revenge –
Lord God above confound the little wretch!
He found a way, all right, to trip her step:
As you will hear, if you will but attend!
6. How Macaire counselled the dwarf
THE FIEND MACAIRE, that evil-scheming man,
Approached the dwarf to broach another plan:
“My little friend,” he said, “I’m very sad
To see the pain and shameful time you’ve had.
But if you’ll act a part I know you can,
230 You’ll have revenge upon the Queen’s attack:
You’ll see her burn until she turns to ash!”
The dwarf replied: “I ask no more than that!
If in her death my hate can play its hand,
In all my life I’ll not have been so glad.
When I recall the way my head was banged
Down all her steps, it almost drives me mad!
I cannot wait till I can pay her back!”
Macaire replied: “Be brave with one more act,
And so much gold and silver you shall have
240 From my resource you will enrich your clan.
I’ve sought and thought of a befitting trap,
Wherein the Queen shall fall upon her back!”
“Reveal it all,” the dwarf replied, “and add
My will to do whatever you command,
Except to talk again – I won’t do that:
I fear her tongue as much as any asp’s!”
Macaire replied: “I have a wiser plan:
It’s Charles’s wont, this paragon of Franks,
To rise from bed for Matins and for Mass
250 Before it’s light, when still the night is black.
When both are sung the Emperor goes back
To bed again and any sleep he can.
For your revenge you’ll have to act with tact,
So none can see or hear what you’ll be at –
Which is to slip behind his door so fast
No living soul can see you take your stand!”
7. How Macaire spoke on
MACAIRE SPOKE ON: “To gain the end we’d like,
I have a plan, and this is my advice:
As best you can you must contrive to hide
260 Inside their room, completely out of sight.
When Charlemagne arises in the night
To hear the Mass and Matins sung alike,
Then straightaway you also shall arise,
Undress yourself before their bed and slide
Your little limbs beside the Queen his wife’s!
She’ll never know – so slim you are and slight!
Then when the King returns at last to find
You in his bed, beside his lovely bride,
Though hate for you will surely fill his mind,
270 His hand will baulk at hurting one your size.
He’ll call instead for witnesses outside.
And when he calls on you to own the crime,
Then you must say, without a moment’s fright,
That it was she who made you come inside,
Not only then but many former times!”
“I’ll think it through,” the cunning dwarf replied,
“And so improve your trickery with mine!
There’s nothing more I covet or desire
Than my revenge upon her royal spite!”
280 “Act fearlessly,” Macaire replied, “for I
Shall be at hand to guarantee your life.”
The dwarf replied: “For that I’d be obliged!
Now, say no more – I’ll do the deed tonight:
I understand exactly what’s required!”
Macaire replied: “Your profit will be high,
And none the risk upon this enterprise:
For when the King accuses you, reply
Unflinchingly, that Blancheflor required
Your presence there and has at many times.
290 King Charlemagne, to save his honour’s pride,
Will burn the Queen upon a hawthorn fire.”
The dwarf replied: “There’s nothing more I’d like.”
Within the hall he stayed till fading light.
When Count Macaire and all the other knights
Went off to rest in bedrooms left and right,
The cunning dwarf slipped straightaway behind
The royal door to hide and bide his time.
When Matins rang the Monarch did arise,
And just as soon as he was out of sight
300 The cunning dwarf was anything but shy:
He reached the bed, and, sitting on one side,
Took off his clothes and little shoes alike.
He laid them out upon a bench and climbed
Inside t
he bed, right next to Charles’s wife!
The Queen slept on, in innocence of mind,
Quite unaware of such a vile surprise.
There is no guard against a traitor’s guile.
8. How treachery triumphed
THE KING HAD LEFT as soon as Matins called,
And gone to Mass inside his chapel’s stall
310 Without a thought of any ill in store –
But in his bed there lay the cunning dwarf!
With Mass and Matins sung in proper form,
The King returned, like every time before.
But when he walked inside his bedroom door
And looked towards his marriage bed he saw
Upon a bench, the clothes the dwarf had worn.
On seeing these, he wondered in his thoughts,
And then he saw the visage of the dwarf –
For it was large, although the rest was small.
320 The Emperor, at first, said naught at all:
He couldn’t speak, he felt so overwrought.
His senses reeled, his sorrow was so raw.
He left the room, he lurched across the floor
And made his way inside the marbled hall –
To find Macaire already there, of course,
With other knights, some seven men or more,
And well aware of what was to befall.
On seeing them, the King exclaimed: “My lords!
Come with me now to witness and record
330 My honour’s fall, and that of all my joy
With Blancheflor, whom I had so adored:
She’s shamed my name by sleeping with the dwarf!
Belie your doubts by seeing what I saw!”
On saying this, he led them to his door
And showed them first the midget, well installed!
On seeing this, the barons gasped in awe,
At which the Queen began to wake and yawn.
She saw them there, and stared with dropping jaw:
She couldn’t speak in her defence at all.
340 “Advise me, lords!” cried Charlemagne, distraught.
The first to speak was Lord Macaire – of course!
“Fine King,” he said, “I have to speak my thoughts.
The Queen must die in fiery torment, or
Both you and we forever and by all
Will be reproached and your disgrace assured.”
The evil count continued what he’d launched
By striding forth and questioning the dwarf:
“You little wretch, don’t lie to me,” he roared:
“How dared you lie beside Queen Blancheflor?
350 How dared you try? Whose will was this but yours?”
The dwarf replied: “Without a lie, my lord,
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