les lais de marie de france

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Les Laisde Marie de France


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European MasterpiecesMolire & Co. French Classics N 7

General Editor: TOM LATHROP

University of Delaware

French Series Editor: THEODORE E.D.BRAUNUnidversity of Delaware


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Les Lais

MARIE DE FRANCE

Edited and with notes byBETH DROPPLEMAN


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Acknowledgments

I am grateful to Tom Lathrop and Ted Braun, Editors of Molire&Co., notonly for their feedback, guidance, and motivation in support of this

project, but also for their significant contribution to our profession bymaking affordable, student-friendly editions of French texts available forclassroom use.

Many thanks are due to my dear colleague E. Joe Johnson, AssociateProfessor of French and Spanish at Clayton State University, whoserecommendation to Molire&Co. and whose assistance with theintroductory materials I greatly appreciate. For her ongoing mentoringand friendship, I thank Paula Shirley, Professor of Spanish at ColumbiaCollege. If she had not gone to bat for me, this edition would still be in theworks. I am grateful to Graduate Research Professor at the University ofFlorida William C. Calin whose expert teaching approach inspired in mean appreciation for the transgressive quality of medieval literature. Istrive to meet the high standard he has set and to pass along his legacy tomy own students.

I would also like to acknowledge Wayne Grovenstein who may neverfully know what his unflagging support means to me. Finally, to Isabelleand Charlotte, who patiently awaited the completion of this edition, nowit is playtime.


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1The 12 lais, their prologue, and the sole complete copy of her fables werepreserved at the British Museum in the Harley Manuscript (BN MS Harley 978).Portions of the Lais also appear in other manuscripts.

2 Marie de France. Das Buch vom Espurgatoire S. Patrice der Marie de France.Warnke, K, Ed. Halle, 1938. Marie de France. LEspurgatoire Seint Patriz.Trans. Yolande de Pontfarcy. Louvain: Peeters, 1995.

3 Marie de France. Fables. Ewert, A. and R. C. Johnson. Oxford UP: 1942.Marie de France: Les Fables. Trad. Charles Brucker, Louvain: Peeters, 1991.

4 Citing the great unlikelihood that a medieval woman would have such aneducation and the means to write, some scholars dispute the generally-accepted

notion that the author of the Lais was female.

11

To the Student

WHO WAS MARIE DE FRANCE?WE KNOW LITTLE ABOUTMarie de France. Seeking her identity has been an

adventure for scholars, but the mystery remains largely unsolved todaydespite extensive academic inquiry and speculation. Indeed, our primarysource of information about her comes from her own writings. Twoworks, in addition to the Lais,1 are widely attributed to her: The Purgatoryof Saint Patrick2 and Fables in which she announces, "Marie a num, si suide France"/"Marie is my name and I am from France."3 This inscription inthe Fables, and mention of herself as author in the other two texts, makesher the first documented female poet in the history of French literature.

On the basis of this literary production, we can discern Maries high levelof education, which is evident in her writings quality, her references totranslating from Latin, and her familiarity with Ovid and other classicaltexts. She almost certainly hailed from an aristocratic family.4

Although her texts were composed in Old French and although she


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LES LAIS DE MARIE DE FRANCE12

5 To get a sense of what reading Maries Lais in rhyming verse might havebeen like, refer to Judith P. Shoafs skillful rendering of 8 lays into English rhyme.Shoaf, Judith P. The Lais of Marie de France: A Verse Translation. http://web.english.

ufl.edu/exemplaria/ intro.htm l.

was most likely from the le-de-France, Marie probably lived in Englandat the court of Henry II Plantagenet at the time of the composition of theLais around 1170. Why didnt she write the Lais in English? A centuryearlier, after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the heirs of the Norman DukeWilliam the Conqueror ruled Great Britain. At the height of their power,they were also the lords of nearly half of medieval France, an area ofinfluence that modern scholars came to call the Angevin Empire.Dispossessing the Saxon nobility, the Normans assumed almost all of thepositions of power in the nobility and clergy in England, and their dialectof medieval French became the language of the aristocracy for several

hundreds of years. In the meantime, French itself was becoming thedominant language of secular European literature in an era when mosttexts were still being written in Latin.

ABOUT THE LAISThe twelve Lais you have in this edition are part of an extraordinaryexplosion of myths and legends produced during the Medieval andRenaissance periods. The Lais are traditionally categorized by scholars as

the matire de Bretagne, that is, narratives connected to Celtic myths andto tales of King Arthur and his knights. Marie de France holds a privi-leged place in this literary tradition and not merely due to her sex, but byvirtue of her poetic innovation. Inspired by harp-accompanied songs ofadventure known as lais, or lays in Old French and modern English, shedeveloped a literary form also called a lai: a short tale or narrativecommemorating an adventure. This poetic form would be popular fromthe late twelfth century into the mid-thirteenth century. Marie composed

her verse in rhyming octosyllables, although the text featured in thisedition is a non-rhyming translation from the Old French.5

In reading the tales, you will notice that occasionally Marie gives the


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INTRODUCTION 13

6 Unlike the current-day connotations of the term "romance," the 12th centurymeaning derived from the Latin romanz, referring to literature in the vernacularlanguage in France. The Spanish and Italians were still writing in Latin at that

time.

reader English and Breton translations for her titles, as in Le Lastic. Themany geographical references in the Lais seem to indicate that the author

had a personal knowledge of England and South Wales. Or, perhapsthese geographical and linguistic references are only a literary deviceinvoked to convince the reader of the veracity of her tales, to plant herstories firmly in the oral tradition of the lais bretons. In either case, Mariesreferences to legendary places like Caerwent and Avalon serve to remindthe reader that the intention is to attribute this folklore to the nobleBritons.

COURTLY LOVEWhatever their setting, Maries texts helped give voice to new literary andsocial concerns, especially with respect to the notion of adventure andthe place of women in society. The literary production of her era differssignificantly from the early twelfth-century epic tales of northern France,which extolled exemplary mens glorious exploits in battle and war andwhich made scant mention of women. The second half of the century,however, saw the birth of a popular new genre, the romance, which

extolled a new social, literary code.6 Maries predecessor Chrtien deTroyes, a mid-12th century romance writer, is a fine example of thosepoets who helped shift literary discourse to a focus on exemplary knightswho, in their service to women, epitomized generosity, self-sacrifice,gallantry, and courteous behavior in their quests for adventure. Theinnovation was that quests for love, more often than not, were theprimary adventure. Chrtien and Marie de Frances works, composed forrecitation at aristocratic gatherings, featured Celtic myths and tales of

King Arthur and the Round Table and were vehicles for the code of amourcourtois, or courtly love.

The philosophy of courtly love originated with troubadour poets in


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the southern French regions of Aquitaine and Provence in the eleventhcentury. Mimicking the lord and vassal feudal arrangement, the elaborate

code of what they called fin amor cast the courtly lover as an abjectslave in faithful service to a lady of higher social station who, incidentally,was not his wife. Courtly love was perceived as threat by both thearistocracy and the clergy for its challenges to social norms: adulterouslovers often consummate their passion in Maries stories. This extramari-tal sexual transgression was condemned by the aristocracy less on moralgrounds than for its threat to a noble familys lineage: the possibility of anillegitimate heir. For the clergy, who had a stake in casting the libido as

wicked, seeking pleasure in an adulterous union was wrong. Sexualpleasure for a woman was doubly wrong; sex was only meant forprocreation.

Do not be mislead by the idea that courtly love was seen as threaten-ing. The idea that a womans place was on a pedestal and that a mansraison dtre was to worship her, did little to improve the lot of actualmedieval women. If courtly love did not change much for individualsliving in the Middle Ages, it certainly had some impact on the mindsets

and customs of nobles, and over the centuries its influence had aprofound impact on Western thought and feeling.

Maries Lais are clearly marked by courtly ideals. For instance, Mariedescribes her characters with a laundry list of courtly characteristics, asif they were stock descriptions. Each lady is courtly, comely, and refined;each knight is generous, loyal, and known for his prowess. However,once she sketches this somewhat standard courtly portrait, she then

begins recounting her own particular tales of the trials and tribulations of

love involving knights, ladies, and marvelous creatures. Weavingtogether amour courtois, Celtic-inspired tales, and aspects of the Latintradition, she avoids slavishly promoting the highly prescriptive codescatalogued a decade later by Andr le Chaplain in his 1185 treatise, Bookof the Art of Loving Nobly and the Reprobation of Dishonorable Love. You willfind that she speaks with her own particular voice in her tales of courtlylove, reinterpretations of legends, and implicit questioning of the fate ofwomen doomed to unhappy, arranged marriages.


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INTRODUCTION 15

LIFE IN THE MIDDLE AGESIn the Middle Ages, adolescent girls of the nobility had little or no voice

in their marriages. As though they were chattel, they were often forcedinto marriages with men twice their age in order to seal alliances, toadvance familial and business interests, and to assure la descendance, orlineage, of noble families. Modern popular culture usually shows themedieval knight to be generous and loyal, always fighting on the side of

justice, aiding damsels in distress, defending poor peasants against thepredations of evil knights and lords. Marie contributes to this notion byportraying knights as exactly that. In reality, medieval knights usually

went adventuring for only about one month a year. Most of the time theyfilled the roles of tax collector, mafia-like brigand, and/or magistrate,imposing order, collecting fines from the non-compliant, and decidingquestions of justice brought before them. Nobles were the privileged few.The vast majority of Europeans did not enjoy the prerogatives of thisgroup: legal rights, power to invoke the law and to punish, and to collectincome from taxes and property. By and large, medieval people lived inabject poverty and existed at the whim of their masters and Church.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENTThere are several themes running through the lais. As you read thestories, identify the kind of adventure within which each tale falls; whichones recount stories exalted or condemned adulterous love, impossiblelove, eternal love, supernatural adventure, wish-fulfillment fantasy,mistaken identity or dmesure (excessive or immoderate behavior)? Whatis the role played by fathers, mothers, mdisants (slanderers), lords,

vassals, clergy, and the lovers themselves? What is the social status ofeach of the people in the adulterous triangle? What other relationshipscompete with amorous love? What does it mean for something to besupernatural? What is the role of magic in each story? Is magic cast as

benevolent or malevolent? What is its source? Who is portrayed as goodand who as evil? How and Why? What other motifs can you identify inthe Lais?


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BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR MARIE DE FRANCE

Bloch, R. Howard. The Anonymous Marie de France. Chicago: University of ChicagoPress, 2003.

Burgess, Glyn S. Marie de France: An Analytical Bibliography. London: Grant &Cutler, 1977. Supplement 1. London: Grant & Cutler, 1986. Supplement 2.London: Grant & Cutler, 1997.

.Marie de France: Text and Context. Athens: University of Georgia Press,1987.

Burgess, Glyn S. and Keith Busby. The Lais of Marie de France. New York: VikingPenguin, 1986.

Ewert, Alfred, Ed. Lais. Oxford: Blackwell, 1944.Gaunt, Simon. Retelling the Tale: An Introduction to Medieval French Literature.

London: Duckworth, 2001.Harf-Lancner, Laurence, Trans. Lais de Marie de France. Paris: Lettres Gothiques

(Livre de Poche), 1990.Mnard, Philippe. Les Lais de Marie de France. Paris: Presses Universitaires de

France, 1979.Mickel, Emanuel J. Jr.Marie de France. New York: Twayne, 1974.Rychner, Jean, Ed. Les lais de Marie de France. Paris: Champion, 1983.Shoaf, Judith P. The Lais of Marie de France: A Verse Translation. http://

web.english.ufl.edu/exemplaria /intro. html. Gainesville: 1991-1996.Terry, Patricia A. The Honeysuckle and the Hazel Tree. Berkeley: University of

California Press, 1995.

Improving Comprehension

The goal of this classroom edition of the Lais is to help you, through the

act of reading, to build your French communication skills, your knowl-edge of French culture, and your understanding of French by comparingit to English. You might be pleasantly surprised to realize that reading inFrench will also help improve your English vocabulary, which will notonly impress your English professors, but can have a positive effect onverbal scores for standardized tests like the GRE.

Reading texts containing language not too difficult for your levelimproves your vocabulary, grammar, and fluency skills. If this is your

first experience with authentic French texts of more than two or three


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Le Chvrefeuille

JAI ENVIE DE VOUS conter une histoire qui me plat: celle du

lai nomm Le Chvrefeuille. Elle circule sous forme orale

et crite; cest la version fidle que je vous explique.

0Il sagit de Tristan et de la reine,1 de leur amour qui tait si5

parfait, dont ils ont eu0maintes douleurs; et puis, un jour, ils en

sont morts.

Le roi Marc tait courrouc contre Tristan son neveu; il 0la banni

de son royaume, cause de la reine quil aimait. Et Tristan 0sen est

all dans son pays, au sud du Pays de Galles, o il est n.210

Il 0y a demeur une anne entire, sans pouvoir retourner chez

le roi; il sexposait alors aux penses qui tuent et qui dtruisent.

Ne vous en tonnez pasqui aime loyalement est trs afflig et

accabl de chagrin quand il na pas 0ce quil veut.Tristan tait dsol et pensif; pour ce, il a quitt son pays15

et 0sen est revenu droit en Cornouailles,3 o la reine demeurait.

Il est entr tout seul dans la fort, car il ne voulait pas tre vu.

Le soir, il en est sorti, quand ctait lheure de chercher quelque

abri. Avec des paysans, avec de pauvres gens, il a pass la nuit.

Il leur a demand les nouvelles du roi. Il a appris deux que20

honeysuckle

tell

it is about

much sorrow, from it

irate, banished him

took off for

dwelled there

left himself open

distressed

overcome, what

wistful, for this reason

went straight back

from the forest

shelter

news

1 Here Marie is retelling the famous Celtic legend of Tristan and Isolt,

queen of King Mark, a story told in several manuscripts dating from the

second half of the 12th century. This tragic medieval love story has been

second in popularity only to that of Lancelot and Guinevere. The tale has

been recounted in numerous works from the middle ages to modern times,

including an opera by Wagner.2Et Tristan Tristan took off for his country, in southwest Wales, where

he was born.3 Cornwall is in Wales, in the southern most county of Great Britain.


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34 MARIE DE FRANCE

Marc convoquait dauthorit,4 disait-on, ses barons Tintagel;5

il voulait 0y tenir cour; la Pentecte,6 tous y seraient. Il y aurait

joie et agrment et la reine 0devait tre l.

Quand Tristan lappris, il 0sest beaucoup rjoui. Elle nepouvait y aller sans quil la vt passer.75

Le jour que le roi est parti, Tristan est venu au bois, sur le

chemin par o devait passer lescorte.

Il a coup une branche de coudrier et il en a t lcorce.8 Puis

quand le bton fut prt, il y a crit son nom avec son couteau.

Si la reine le voyait, qui tait attentive tout, elle reconnatrait10

le bton; autrefois il tait arriv quainsi ils staient fait signe.9

Dans son message, il 0lui mandait que depuis longtemps il tait

0l cherchant comment il pourrait la voir, car il ne pouvait vivre

sans elle.10 Ils taient comme le chvrefeuille et le coudrier:

entrelacs ils pouvaient vivre; spars, ils mouraient trs vite.15

Belle amie, 0ainsi est-il de nous: ni vous sans moi, ni moi sans

vous.

La reine est arriv 0en chevauchant Elle regardait la pente/

ct du chemin, elle a aperu le bton, elle a reconnu toutesles lettres.20

Aux chevaliers qui laccompagnaient, elle a command de

sarrter:11 elle voulait descendre 0pour se reposer. Ils ont obi

ses ordres.

hold court there

pleasure, should be

was very delighted

woods

path, entourage

staff, was

he indicated to her

there searching for

intertwined

so it is for us

riding horseback, hill

spied, made out

to rest, followed

4 It was within the rights of the king to call together his barons

dauthorit, meaning he alone made the decision to do so.5 This city on the west coast of Cornwall is where King Arthur was

reputedly born.6 Pentecost is the feast held the 7th Sunday after Easter to

commemorate the Holy Ghosts descent to the apostles.7 Elle ne She could not pass unnoticed by him.8 Il a he cut down a hazel tree branch and stripped off its bark9Autrefois ilin the past they had communicated with each other in this

way 10 Il ne he could not live without her. This is an example of literary

negation, where ne is not followed by pas.11 Aux chevaliersShe ordered the knights escorting her to stop


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Le Chvrefeuille 35

Elle sen est alle loin 0deux, elle a appel 0 elle Branguein,

sa suivante, qui tait 0de bonne foi. Et toutes deux 0se sont

cartes un peu du chemin.

Dans le bois, elle a trouv celui qui laimait plus que toute chosevivante. Ils ont men entre eux une joie trs grande.125

Il lui a parl 0tout loisir, et elle lui a dit tout son bonheur.

Puis elle lui a appris comment il ferait son accord avec le roi,13 et

combien elle avait souffert 0depuis que Marc lavait banni: ctait

sur une dnonciation quil lavait fait.14

Enfin elle a laiss son ami et sen est alle. Mais au moment10

de se sparer, ils ont pleur.Tristan sen est retourn dans le Pays de Galles, o il a attendu

le rappel de son oncle.

Pour la joie quil a eue en revoyant son amie,15 et pour rappeler

son message la reine,16 ainsi que les paroles quelle lui avait dites,15

Tristan, qui savait bien harper, en a fait un nouveau lai.

Je dirai brivement le nom de ce lai: Goatleaf lappellent les

Anglais; et les Franais: Chvrefeuille.

Je vous ai dit la vrit du lai que 0je viens de raconter.

from them, over to her

lady-in-waiting, true,

stepped away

freely

since

left

cried

call to return

words

play the harp

I just recounted

12 Ils ont...together they showed great joy13 Puis elle Then she explained to Tristan how he could make peace with

King Arthur14

Ctait surIt was after a denunciation that he had done it. After anenemy exposed Tristans love for Isolt to King Mark, Mark banished him.15 Pour laAs testimony to the joy he felt in seeing his friend again16 Pour rappeler...to remind the queen of his message


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Le Lastic

JE VAIS VOUS DIRE une aventure dont les Bretons ont fait un lai.

Son nom est Lastic:1 ainsi lappellent-ils en leur pays. Cest

rossignol en franais et nightingale en anglais.

Dans la contre de Saint-Malo2

tait une ville clbre. Deux5chevaliers y demeuraient et y avaient deux 0fortes maisons. Telle

tait la valeur de ces deux barons que la ville en avait bonne

renomme. Lun avait pous une femme sage, courtoise et

avenante; ctait merveille de voir comme elle se conduisait

dignement selon les meilleurs usages du temps. Lautre tait un10

jeune chevalier bien connu parmi ses pairs pour sa prouesse,

sa grande valeur, et son accueil gnreux. Il tait de tous les

tournois, dpensait et donnait volontiers ce quil avait.Il est tomb amoureux de la femme de son voisin. Il la tant

prie damour, il y avait si grand bien en lui,3 quelle laimait plus15

que toute chose, tant pour le bien quelle avait entendu de lui que

parce quil habitait prs delle.

Ils sentraimaient sagement et bien. Ils cachaient leur amour

et 0prenaient garde de ne pas tre aperus, ni surpris, ni

souponns. Et ils pouvaient bien le faire, car leurs demeures20

taient proches. Voisines taient leurs maisons, leurs salles et leurs

donjons; il ny avait ni barrire ni sparation, sauf un haut mur

de 0pierre grise.

De la chambre o la dame couchait, quand elle se tenait

land

castles

courtly

good-looking, a marvel

with dignity, customs

knight, peers, prowess

reception

tournaments, spent,

freely

as much

loved each other

took care, noticed

suspected, abodes

castle towers, wall

grey stone

stood

1 The nightengale has long been a symbol of love, dating back to the

time of the ancient Greek poet Sappho.2 Saint Malo is a walled city build on an island, located in north east

Brittany.3Il la he begged so much for her love, he was of such fine merit


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38 MARIE DE FRANCE

fentre, elle pouvait parler son ami, et lui elle de lautre ct.

Ils entrchangeaient des prsents en les jetant et en les lanant.

Rien ne les troublait. Ils taient tous deux trs contents, sauf quils

ne pouvaient du tout venir ensemble 0 leur volont, car la dametait 0troitement garde quand son mari ntait pas la5

maison. Mais ils avaient 0ceci au moins pour eux: jour et nuit ils

pouvaient parler lun lautre; nul ne pouvait les empcher de

venir leur fentre et de 0sy voir.

Longtemps avait dur leur amour quand lt est arriv: les

halliers et les prs taient reverdis, les vergers fleuris.4 Les petits10

oiseaux menaient, trs doucement, leur joie 0au sommet des fleurs.

0Il nest pas tonnant que celui qui aime y fasse attention. Le

chevalier et la dame 0sy sont livrs par paroles et par regards.

Les nuits, quand la lune luisait et que son seigneur tait couch,

elle se levait souvent et senveloppait de son manteau. Elle venait15

se tenir la fentre pour son ami quelle savait l; il faisait de mme

et veillait la plus grande partie de la nuit. Ils avaient grande joie

se regarder, puisquils ne pouvaient avoir plus.

Elle se levait tant/ et sy mettait tant que son seigneur sestirrit. Maintes fois il a demand pourquoi elle se levait et o elle20

allait.

Sire, lui rpondait la dame, celui-l ignore la joie en ce monde

qui ncoute pas chanter le rossignol.5 Cest pour lentendre que

je viens me placer ici. Je trouve grand plaisir en coutant la nuit

son doux chant, et jai tel dsir de cette jouissance que je ne peux25

pas fermer lil et dormir.

Quand le seigneur entendait ce quelle disait, il en riait de colre.

Il a conu ceci: il prendrait le lastic au pige. Tous les serviteurs

en sa maison ont fait des piges, filets ou lacets; puis ils les ont mis

dans le verger. Pas de coudrier ni de chtaigniero ils30

flinging, casting

disturbed

at will

closely guarded

this at least

prevent

to see each other

on top

it is no surprise

reveled in their love,

looks; gleamed, lord

stayed awake

since

so much

sensual pleasure

anger

devised, trap, servants

nets, strings

chestnut tree

4

Les halliers the thickets and meadows had grown green again, theorchards were flowering5 Celui-l ignore...he who has not heard the nightengales song knows not

the joy that exists in this world


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Le Lastic 39

naient pos lacets et glu.6 Tant quils ont pris le lastic. Alors ils

lont apport 0tout vif au seigneur. Quand il le tenait, il en tait trs

joyeux. Il est venu dans lappartement de la dame.

Dame, dit-il, o tes-vous? Venez ici! Parlez-moi! Jai attraple lastic, cause duquel vous avez tant veill.7 Dsormais vous5

pouvez reposer en paix: il 0ne vous veillera plus.

Quand la dame la entendu, elle tait triste et courrouce. Elle

la demand son seigneur. Et lui a tu le petit oiseau par mchancet;

il 0lui a rompu le cou avec ses deux mains; puis il a fait une chose

extrmement vilaine: il a jet le corps sur la dame, si quil 0lui a10

ensanglant sa robe un peu au-dessus de la poitrine. Alors il estsorti de la chambre.

La dame a pris le corps petit. Elle a pleur durement, elle a

maudit ceux qui ont fait les piges et les lacets et ont pris

tratreusement le lastic, car ils 0lui ont retir une grande joie.15

Hlas, fait-elle, cela va mal pour moi! Je ne pourrai plus me

lever la nuit ni me tenir la fentre do javais lhabitude de voir

mon ami. Il croira, jen suis sre, que je labandonne; aussi faut-il

que javise;8 je 0lui enverrai le lastic, je lui manderai laventure.En un morceau de brocart, 0brod dor, o elle avait racont tout20

par crit, elle a envelopp le petit oiseau. Elle a appel un de ses

serviteurs. Elle 0la charg de porter son message son ami.

Il est venu au chevalier. De la part de la dame, il 0la salu, lui

a cont tout son message et lui a prsent le lastic.

Le chevalier tait trs afflig de ce qui stait pass,9 mais il na25

pas agi en rustre ni en homme lent.10 Il a fait forger un coffret.11 Il

ny est entr ni fer ni acier:12 ctait entirement en 0or fin, avec

de bonnes pierres chres et prcieuses; on y a mis un couvercle 0bien

then

stilll living

from now on

will arouse you no more

broke his neck

ugly, threw

drenched with blood,

bosom

cursed

treacherously, stripped

her of

will send him

embroidered in gold

put him in charge

greeted him

pure gold

gemstones

6 Birdlime is a sticky adhesive spread on branches to catch small birds.7 Jai attrapI caught the nightengale who has kept you awake so much8 Aussi faut-ilI must find a solution9

De ce about what had happened10 Mais ilbut he did not act crass or dull-witted11 Il ahe had a small jeweled box (or casket) forged12 Il nyneither iron nor alloy were used as fillers


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40 MARIE DE FRANCE

assis. Il a plac le lastic dedans; puis il 0a fait sceller le coffret et

toujours la fait porter avec lui.13

On a racont cette histoire; elle na pu tre cele longtemps. Les

Bretons en ont fait un lai. On lappelle Le Lastic.

tightly fitted, had sealed

up

concealed

13 This is how a saints relic might have been carried in the Middle

Ages.


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Le Chaitivel

I

Il mest venu lenvie de rappeler1 un lai dont jai 0entendu parler.

Je vous nommerai la ville o on la fait et dirai toute laventure, ainsi

que les circonstances de son titre. On lappelle le plus souvent Le5

Chaitivel, mais quelques gens lappellent Les Quatre Deuils.

A Nantes en Bretagne,2

demeurait une dame trs distingue quiavait une beaut, une ducation remarquables. Il ny avait en la contre

aucun chevalier dun peu de mrite qui ne laimt et ne la prit

damour, aprs lavoir vue une seule fois.3 Elle ne pouvait aimer tous10

ces hommes et, cependant, elle ne voulait causer leur mort.

Mieux vaudrait parler damour toutes les femmes dun pays

que darracher un fou ses penses, car il ragit promptement avec

des coups;4 une dame, elle 0sait bon gr celui qui 0lui fait la cour;

ainsi, mme si elle ne veut pas lcouter, elle ne lui dit pas de 0paroles15

blessantes, mais lhonore, 0le chrit, le remercie, le sert volontiers.

La dame en question, si recherche pour sa beaut, pour ses mrites,

les chevaliers 0lont courtise nuit et jour.

Il tait en Bretagne quatre barons; encore trs jeunes, ils

wretched one

heard tell of

title

mournings

nonetheless

is well-pleased with,

courts her

hurtful words, treasures

him, serves; sought

after; wooed her

1Il mest Fancy moves me to recall. (Fancy moves me is Shoafs

translation.)2 Founded by the Celts and the former capital of Brittany, Nantes sits

on the banks of the Loire River near the Atlantic Ocean.3Il ny there was no knight in the land who didnt love her, who didnt

plea for her love, after having seen her just once4 Mieux vaudraitBetter to woo every woman in the country than to tear

a fool from his thoughts (orpan in Old French, which also means bread), since

the fool quickly fights back. In this paragraph, Marie is jokingly comparing

ladies desire for love to fools refusal to share their thoughts/bread. Sheteases that a knight has nothing to risk in courting women, since they are

compassionate towards those who speak to them of love, even if they do

not feel the same way.


26/38

42 MARIE DE FRANCE

taient beaux preux, vaillants, courtois, gnreux, hommes de grand

mrite et de haute naissance. Tous les quatre aimaient la dame; chacun

faisait de son mieux pour obtenir lamour de la dame, chacun mettait

tous ses efforts la prier damour; nul 0navait lieu de croire quilrussissait plus que lautre.5

La dame tait doue de 0bon sens: elle0sest mise rflchir pour

dcider lequel des quatre serait le meilleur aimer. Tous taient de

telle valeur quelle ne pouvait choisir le meilleur. Alors, ne voulant

pas perdre trois pour un, elle 0faisait bon accueil tous, elle leur

donnait des gages damour, elle leur envoyait ses messagers.10

Chacun connaissait la situation, mais aucun deux ne parvenait

0se dtacher de la dame, car ils conservaient tous lespoir de

lemporter sur les autres.50Pour plaire la dame, chacun sefforait

dtre le premier dans les tournois, chacun employait son nom

comme 0cri de ralliement; tous portaient son gage damour (anneau,15

manche, gonfanon6), tous la tenaient pour amie.

Elle les a aims et gards son service damour jusquau jour

aprs Pques o lon a annonc, devant la ville de Nantes, un

tournoi. Pour faire la connaissance des quatre amants, l sont venusdautres pays Franciens, Normands, Flamands, Brabanons,20

Boulonnais, Angevins,7 et leurs proches voisins. Ces gens y sont rests

tranquilles longtemps. Le jour du tournoi, ils sont alls lassaut

les uns des autres.

Les quatre amants se sont arms et sont sortis de la ville; leurs

hommes 0les ont suivis, mais le poids des oprations reposait sur25

les quatre. Les assigeants les ont reconnus leurs bannires et

leurs cussons; ils ont envoy contre eux deux Flamands et deux

Hainuyers,8 prts lattaque; chacun dsirait combattre. Les chevaliers

du parti contraire non plus navaient aucun dsir de fuir; lance

fearless

had reason

succeeded

gifted, common sense, be-

gan to

received graciously

pledges

was aware of

free himself

to please

name

rally cry, ring

sleeve

kept

Easter

peaceful, attack

followed them, bulk

beseiging knights, flags

basges

flee

5 Ils conservaientthey all harbored the hope of winning out over the others6 A colorful banner with which medieval knights decorated their lances.7 Franciens, Normands French (from the province around Paris, lIle

de France), Normans (from Normandy), Flemish (from Belgium), Brabants(from Belgium), Boulognais (from the Boulogne region in northern

France), and Angevins (from Anjou in the Loire Valley).8 People from Hainault, a province of Belgium.


27/38

Le Chaitivel 43

baisse, 0en piquant des deux, on a choisi son adversaire. Le choc

de la rencontre a t si violent9 que les quatre assaillants sont tombs.

Les dfenseurs, les amants 0ne se sont pas soucis des chevaux, quils

ont laisss courir sans matres; ils 0se sont tenus aux abattus.Finalement, les chevaliers qui taient pied ont t secourus par leurs5

compagnons. A la dlivrance, il y avait une grande mle, maint

0coup dpe donn.

II

La dame tait dans une tour. Elle a bien distingu 0les siens10

des autres; elle a vu le succs de ses amants; mais elle ne savait lequelelle devait estimer le plus.

Le tournoi10 a commenc en bonne et due forme. Les rangs se

sont multiplis et 0sont devenus trs pais. Ce jour-l, devant la ville,

le tournoi a t engag maintes fois. Les quatre amants 0se sont si15

bien comports quils ont eu le prix sur tous. A la fin du jour, quand

on 0devait disperser, ils se sont exposs follement loin de leurs gens;

ils lont pay cher, car trois ont t tus et le quatrime gravement

bless par une lance qui lui a travers la cuisse; ils ont trouv leurperte, dans une 0attaque par le flanc. Les assaillants ne leur ont pas20

fait de mal exprs:11 0dans leur remords, ils ont abandonn aux

champs leurs cus.

Les cris 0se sont levs bientt; jamais on na entendu telle

douleur. Les gens de la ville 0y ont accouru, sans penser au danger.

Pour marquer leur douleur, environ deux milliers dhommes 0ont25

dlac leur ventaille, tir leur barbe et leurs cheveux; ils sentaient

une perte commune. On a mis chacun des quatre amants sur son

cu, puis on les a ports la dame qui les aimait tant.

Quand elle a appris laventure, elle 0est tombe vanouie.

Revenue de sa pmoison, elle a regrett chacun en lappelant par30

son nom.

spurs humming

didnt bother with

riders, stuck by, fallen

men

free-for-all

sword thrusts

tower, her men

lovers

ranks

became so thick

fought so well

should have dispersed

killed

thigh

loss, side attack

to show their remorse

shields

rose up

came running

untied their chin straps,

tugged at

passed out

fainiting spell

9

Le choc They hit each other with such violence10 A tournament in the 12th and 13th centuries was a team sport, as

opposed to a one-on-one joust.11 Les assaillants...The attackers did not mean to harm them on purpose


28/38

44 MARIE DE FRANCE

Hlas, dit-elle, que ferai-je? Jamais plus je ne serai heureuse! Jaimais

ces quatre chevaliers et je les dsirais tous. Comme leurs mrites taient

grands! Ils maimaient sur toute autre personne. Attire par leur beaut,

leur prouesse, leur valeur, leur gnrosit, jai encourag leur amour.Je ne veux pas les perdre tous, mme pour en prendre un. Je ne sais5

lequel je dois plaindre le plus, mais je ne peux me cacher ceci: lun est

bless, les trois autres sont morts, et je nai rien au monde pour me

rconforter. Je ferai enterrer les morts.12 Si le bless peut tre guri,

je 0men occuperai volontiers et lui trouverai un bon mdecin.

Elle a fait porter le bless sa chambre. Puis avec tendresse, elle10

a fait habiller noblement et richement les autres; dans une abbaye

importante, enrichie par elle, elle les a fait ensevelir. Que Dieu leur

soit misricordieux! Elle a mand des mdecins sages auprs du

bless, qui est rest dans sa chambre jusquau jour de sa gurison. Elle

lui rendait visite souvent et le rconfortait bien; mais elle regrettait15

toujours les trois autres, pour qui elle menait grand deuil.

III

Un jour dt, aprs avoir mang, la dame parlait au chevalier. Sesouvenant de sa grande douleur, elle a baiss la tte et le visage;

fortement elle a commenc rflchir. Lui, il la regarde et a remarqu20

quelle pensait. Et doucement il lui a adress la parole:

Dame, vous tes 0en moi! A quoi pensez-vous? Dites-le-moi!

Abandonnez votre douleur: vous devriez bien vous rconforter!13

Ami, dit-elle, je pensais et me rappelais vos compagnons. Jamais

plus, une dame de ma naissancetant soit belle, prude ou sagenai-25

mera la fois quatre tels, ni ne les perdra tous le mme jour, sauf vous

qui avez t bless et en grand danger de mourir. Puisque je vous ai

aims tellement, je veux que ma douleur soit rappele; de vous quatre

je ferai un lai et je lappellerai Les Quatre Deuils.

30

captivated

lament

healed

will take care of it

endowed, buried

merciful, summoned

healing

agitated

discreet, wise

such men

12

Je ferai I will have the dead buried13 Abandonnez votre Let go of your pain; you should be recovering. He

explains that it is time for her to get over the loss and be comforted that he

is still alive.


29/38

Le Chaitivel 45

Le chevalier a rpondu htivement:

Dame, faites le nouveau lai et appelez-le Le Chaitivel! Voici

pourquoi il doit avoir ce titre: depuis quelque temps les autres sont

morts; ils ont termin leur vie et la grande peine dont ils ont souffert

pour lamour de vous. Mais moi, je suis 0chapp vif; cependant je suis5

perdu et malheureux, car, matin et soir, celle que jaime le plus au

monde va, vient, me parle souvent et je ne puis avoir la joie de la baiser

ni la tenir ni autre chose que de lui parler. Vous me faites souffrir cent

maux. Je prfrerais subir la mort14! Ainsi le lai doit recevoir mon nom:

il sera appel Le Chaitivel. Celui qui lappellera Les Quatre Deuils10

changera son propre nom.Par ma foi, dit-elle, cela me plat.15 Appelons-le alors Le

Chaitivel.

Ainsi on a commenc, termin et publi le lai. Quelques-uns de

ceux qui lont mis en circulation lont appel Les Quatre Deuils;15

chacun des titres y convient, car la matire le demande; on lappelle

communment Le Chaitivel.

Cette histoire se termine ici; il ny a plus. Je nai pas entendu

davantage et je nen sais plus; ainsi je ne vous conte plus.

zealously

survived

lost, miserable

to hold

pains

fit

normally

much more

14Je prfrerais I would have rather died15Ma foimy goodness, she said, I like it. The tone is slightly sarcastic

in response to the knights sarcasm in the previous paragraph.


30/38


31/38

141

French-English Glossary

abandonner to let go of, leaveabattre to knock downabattu (m) a fallen manabbesse (f) an abbess: a Mother

Superior of a convent

aboutir to go all the way, end, resultinaboyer to barkabrg (-e) shortened, abridgedabri (m) a shelter, havenaccabl (-e) overwhelmed, weighed

down by, oppressed

accs (m) an outburstaccoler to hug, join

accompagner to escort, accompanyaccomplir to fulfillaccord (m) an agreement, peaceaccorder to grant, awardaccoucher to give birthaccourir to come runningaccrotre to increase the size of,past

participle accruaccueil (m) a reception, welcome;

faire bon to receivegraciously

acier (m) an alloy, steelacqurir to acquire,past participle

acquisacquitter to liberateadjurer to begadoubement (m) knighthood

ceremony

adresse (f) skill

adresser to address, send; laparole to speak to, addresssomeone

advenir to happen,past participleadvenu

saffaisser to collapse, subsideaffam (-e) starvedaffection (f) admiration, attentionafflig (-e) victimized, distressedsagenouiller to kneel downagrment (m) pleasure, charmaigle (m) eagleaigu (-) honed, sharpailleurs elsewhere, somewhere else

aimer to love; se faire to endearoneself

an (e) eldestainsi est-il so it isair (m) a lookalentour around, about; d

surrounding

aller to go sen to take off, goaway from

allouer to allocate toallure (f) pace; grande quicklyalors so, thensamaigrir to lose weightamant (m) a loverme (f) a soulamender to modifyamener () to bring (a person) (to)amer(-re) bitter

amrement bitterly


32/38

MARIE DE FRANCE142

amical (-e) friendlyamoindrir to diminishancre (m) an anchoranneau (m) a ringantique ancientapercevoir to be noticed, caught

sight of,past participle aperuappartenir to belong to,part

participleappartenuapporter to bring, carry (something)apprendre to learn,past participle

apprisapprter to ready; s to get dressedappui (m) supportarc (m) a bowarchevque (m) archbishopargent (m) silver, moneyarracher () to tear away (from)arrter to cease, arrest; s to stoparroser to water

assaut (m) an attackassig (-e) under attackassigeant (m) attacker, besiegerassis (-e) positioned,from verb

sasseoir to sit; bien assistightly-fitted

assister to attendassouvir to appease, satesassurer to assure

assurment assuredly, surelyatteindre to reach, attain,pastparticiple atteint

attendre to wait; s to expectattir (-e) attracted, captivatedattraper to catchaube (f) dawnaubpine (f) hawthornaucun (-e) none

audacieux (-euse) daringaumne (f) alms

aumonire (f) a purseauparavent beforeauprs de near to, amongstaussitt que as soon asautel (m) an altarautour (m) a hawkautrefois in the past, long agoautrui (m, pl) othersavenant (-e) pleasant, good-looking,

comely

avilir to degrade

aviron (m) an oaraviser to inform; s () to becomeaware of, be advised (to), realize

avoir (m) possessions, assets,property, resources

avoir to have,past participle eu; lieu to have cause/reason; il y athere is, there are

baigner to bathebaiser to kissbaiss (-e) loweredbander to bindbassin (m) a bowl, basinbattre to beatbelotte (f) a weaselbni (-e) holy, blessedbnir to bless

berceau (m) a cradlebesoin (m) a needbte (f)beast, animal; 5 avril 2007

de somme a beast of burdenbiche (f) a doebienfait (m) a good deedbiens (m) possessions, goods, wealthblmer to scoldblesser to wound

blessant(e) hurtfulboire to drink,past participle bu


33/38

French-English Glossary 143

bois (m) a forest, woods, stand oftrees,

bois dun cerf (m.pl.) antlersbondir to leapbonheur (f) happinessbonnement simplybouillant (-e) boilingbourg (m) a small villagebras (m) an armbref in shortBreton (m) a man from or language

of Brittanybreuvage (m) a magic potionbrivement shortlybriser to breakbroche (f) aspikebroder to embroiderbruit (m) a noisebrler to burnbuisson (m) a bush

but (m) an aimbutin (m) booty, loot

cacher to hidecachette (f) a hideawaycalice (m) a chalice, cupcalomnier to vilifycas durgence (m) an emergencycause (f) a reason, cause; de

because ofcaution (f) bail by extension

guarantors of bail

cave (-e) hollowed outce qui/ce que what, relative pronounceci thiscder to give in to, give wayceinture (f) a beltceler to conceal

celui the one; -ci this man/one(here)

centaine (f) a hundred or socependant nonetheless, yetcercueil (m) a casketcerf (m) a stag, buckcertes of coursechacun (-e) each onechagrin (-e) distressedchaitivel (m) a wretched onechapitre (m) an assembly hall in an

abbey, a chapter

charg (-e) overloaded

charger to put in chargechasser to huntchaste pure, chastechtaignier (m) a chestnut treechaton (m) a bezel; a groove

designed to hold a gem stone

chauffer to heatchemin (m) a way, path, roadchemise (f) a nightdress

chenu (-e) gone whitechercher to look forchrir to treasurechevalerie (f) chivalry, knighthoodchevalier (m) a knightchevauchant riding horsebackchevaucher to ride horsebackchevet (m) a foot of a bedcheville (f) a peg, ankle, support

chvrefeuille (m) honeysucklecierge (m) a candleclair (-e) light-coloredclart (f) brightnesscloche (f) a bellclocher (m) a bell towercoeur (m) a heart; de bon gladlycoffret (m) a casket, jeweled boxcolre (f) anger

combler to heap, satisfycommandement (m) the charge


34/38

MARIE DE FRANCE144

comment how, a waycommunment normallycomportement (m) behaviorcomporter to include, involve; se

to carry oneself, behave, act in a

manner

concevoir to devise,past participleconu

conduire to drive, lead, guide, steer,past participle conduit; se tobehave

confiance (f) trust, confidenceconfier ( qqn) to give (to so)cong (m) a leaveconjurer to ask, beseechconntable (m) a supreme

commander for a king or lord

connatre to know, be aware of, beacquainted with,past participle

connu

conqurir to win over,past participleconquisse consacrer to devote oneself toconsommer (la ruine de) to assure

(the ruin of)

construire to build, construct,pastparticiple construit

conter to tell, relatecontrainte (f) an imposition

contraire opposingcontre (f) a landconvenablement suitablyconvenir to fit, suit, agree,past

participle convenuconvenu (-e) agreed uponconvoiter to lust after, craveconvoquer to summon, call togethercoquette flirtatious

coucher to put to sleep; se to laydown to sleep

coudrier (m) a hazel treecouette (f) a down bed coveringcouler to flowcoup (m) a blowcouper to cut (off)cour (f) a royal courtcourant (-e) running, flowingcourrouc (-e) iratecourroux (m) furycours deau (m) a stream,

watercourse

courtiser to woocourtois (-e) courteous, politecouteau (m) a knifecoutume (f) a customcouvent (m) a conventcouvercle (m) a coverse couvrir to cover oneself,past

participle couvertcraindre to fear,past participle craint

crampon (m) a stud: framing boardcreux (-se) broken, hollowed, emptycroire to believe,past participle crucuisse (f) a thighcuve (f) a vesselcygne (m) a swan

dailleurs moreover, furthermoredavantage (much) more

dbarquer to disembarkse dbarrasser de to get rid of, ridoneself of

dbarrer to unlock, unbardbauche (f) debauchery, lewdness,

indulgence in sensual pleasures

debout standing, up, upright,command get up!

dchirer to tear up, rip

dcoupl unleasheddcouvrir to discover, uncover,


35/38


disclose,past participle dcouvertdedans insidedesse (f) goddessse dfaire de to be rid of, get rid of,

past participle dfaitdfendre to forbiddfi (m) a challengedfinitivement for good, once and

for all

se dgager to free oneselfdegr (m) degree, step

dehors outsidedlacer to untiese dlasser to relaxdlier to untiedlivrance (f) a rescue, deliverance,

delivery (of a baby)

demeure (f) a dwellingdemeurer to dwelldnouer to untie, unknot

dpenser to spenddpensier (m) one in charge of fooddistribution or spending

dplaire to displease, to bedistasteful,past participledplu

dployer to unfurl, deploydposer to drop offse dpouiller to undressdepuis (que) since

driver to driftds (que) from ; as soon asdescendre to dismount, go down,

stop at (a place)

dsigner to point out, to designatese dsoler to be sorrydsormais from that time forward,

from now on

dssangler to unbridle

se dtacher to free oneselfdetour (m) a detour, curve,

deviation; sans plainlydtourner to divert, misappropriate;

se de to turn away from,abandon

dtresse (f) anxiety, distressdtruire to destroy,past participle

dtruitdeuil (m) mourning, griefdevenir to become,past participle

devenudvoiler to divulge

devoir to be obliged, must, should,past participle ddiffam (-e) falsely accuseddignement with dignitydire to say, telldisparatre to disappear, die,past

participle disparudisperser to break up, scatterdisposer to arrange

dissimul (-e) covertdistraire to distract,past participledistrait; se to enjoy oneself

diverter to amuse, entertain; se tohave fun, amuse oneself

divertissement (m) amusementdolent(-e) mournfuldommage (m) injurydon (m) a gift

donjon (m) a castle towerdonner to give; for the takingdortoir (m) a sleeping areadot (m) a dowrydoubl (-e) lineddou (-e) endoweddouleur (f) sorrowdouter to doubtdoux (-ce) sweet

drap (m) a sheetdresser to train


36/38

MARIE DE FRANCE146

droit (m) justice, law, a rightdur (-e) hard, hardy, tough, difficult

bne (f) ebony lcart out of the way, to the sidecarter to move back, set aside,

separate, part

chaud (-e) scaldedchecs (m. pl.) checkerschelle (f) ladderchouer to be unsuccessful

clater to explodeconduire to dismiss,past participleconduit

corce (f) barkcossais (-e) a Scot or Scottish

woman

couler to dispose of, get rid of; sto run out, flow out, pass by

scrier to cry out, exclaim

cu (m) shieldcusson (m) badgecuyer (m) a squire, messenger on

horseback

sefforer to strive to, tryffroi (m) fright, terrorgal (m) equalgar (e) astray, lostgarer to lose, mislead, stray, s to

delude oneself, commit a folly, goastray

lan (m) a burst, bound, momentumlectuaire (m) an electuary: a

drinkable medicine

lever to raise, bring uplv (-e) raised; bien well-

mannered, well-raisedloigner to remove, put off, discard,

send away s to drive away, goaway, move away

embraser to set on fireembrasure (f) a doorway, window

frame

embusquer to lie in wait, ambushmerveiller to amaze; s to be

surprised, marvel at

emmener to lead (a person)en moi (m) agitatedsmouvoir to be moved emotionallysemparer de to gather, take

possession of

empcher to preventemporter to sweep away, carryaway; sur to win out over,defeat

sempresser to hurry, hastenen qute de in search ofen sorte que as a resultnas (-e) noselessenceinte (f) surrounding wall

enceinte pregnantencensoir (m) censer or thurible, forburning incense in a religion

service

entendre to hearenclin leaning toward, inclinedenclos (-s) enclosedencolure (f) neckline, by extension

appearance

encourtiner to hang walls withfabric, curtain

encre (f) inkenduit (-e) coatedenfoncer to knock in/down, s to

sink

enfouir to be buriedsenfuir to make a run for itengager to be involved in, swear

engendrer to fatherennui (m) pain


37/38


ennuyer to trouble, bother, fort toreally bother

enrichi(-e) endowedensanglanter to drench with bloodenseigner to indicate, show, teachensevelir to buryentendre to understand; parler to

hear tell of/about

enterrer to buryentire (re) entire, wholeentourer to rally around

avec entrain (m) with pepsentraimer to love each otherentrelac (-e) intertwinedentretenir to foster, maintain,past

participleentretenuenvelopper to wrap up s to wrap

oneself up in

envie (f) urgeenvoyer to send

pais (-e) thickpaisseur (m) the thick, thicknessspanouir to bloompargner to sparepe (f) swordperdu (-e) lostperdument passionatelyperonner to spur onpervier (m) sparrow hawk

poux (-se) a spousesprendre de to be smitten with,past participlepris

pris (-e) infatuatedspuiser to wear yourself outquipements (m. pl.) gearermite (m) a hermiterrer to wanderescorte (f) entourage

espionner to spyesprit (m) mind-set

sessayer to tryestropi (-e) crippledtaler to lay outstendre to stretch out, spread out,

extend

tendu (-e) stretched outtincelle (f) sparktoffe (f) clothtonnant (-e) surprisingtonner to be surprisedtourdir to dizzy

tranger (re) a foreignertranger (-re) foreigntre to be,past participlet,

subjunctive je soisvous soyez,pass simple je fusil futilsfurent; de to take part in, be at

treindre to clench,past participletreint

trier (m) stirrup

troitement closelyeunuque (m) eunuch: castrated manwho guards a harem

vanoui (-e) passed outveiller to awaken, arouseexhort (-e) urgedexposer to explain, s to leave

oneself exposed to

extenu (-e) exhausted

fcheux (-euse) troublesome,troubling

faire to make, do,past participlefait; des ravages to devastate; dumal to hurt; exprs to do onpurpose; la cour to woo, court; plainte to voice a complaint; prparer to have (something)

prepared; signe to signal; son accord to make ones peace;


38/38

MARIE DE FRANCE148

se to make oneself; se prier to hesitate

falaise (f) clifffalloir (+ infinitive) to nearly (+

infinitive),past participlefallu ; il it is necessary to; onemust/should

familier (re) a friend, acquaintancefaon (m) a fawnfaste (m) splendorfastueux (-euse) ostentatious

faute (f) a sin, mistake, error, fault,lack, needfaveurs (f. pl.) good gracesfe (f) fairyse fliciter to be welcomeflonie (f) disloyal act, treacheryfer (m) ironfeu (m) fire; denfer hells firefidle faithful

se fier to put ones trust infiger to freezefigur (-e) representedfigurer to considerfilet (m) netfiole (f) vial, phialfixer to settle uponflanc (m) side, flankFlandres (f) Flanders, Holland

flatter to flatterflche (f) an arrowfleur (f) a flower; la de in the

prime, in the flower of; de lys afleur-de-lis or iris, heraldic device

for the monarchy

flot (m) a wavefoi (f) faith; de bonne faithful,

true; donne a promise, ones

word given, sworn allegiance; parma my goodness, my word

fois (f) timefolie; folies (f) whim, folly; nonsensefollement foolishlyfondu(-e) collapsed,past participle of

fondrefont (m) a (baptismal) fontforce (f) strength; () (de) by dint

of

forche (f) a forkforestier (m) a woodmanforger to forge; faire to have

(something) forgedforte maison (f) a castlefortifier to fortify, supplyfosse (f) a gravefouiller to search throughfoule (f) a crowdfournir to providefranc (-che) sincerefranchir to step over, cross

franchise (f) honestyfrne (m) an ash treefrquenter to visit oftenfrissons (m, pl) tremorsfuir to flee, run awayfureur (f) fury, rage

gage (m) a pledgegarde de (f) the care of

garder to protect; quelquun tokeep someone in

garni (-e) de filled withgendre (m) a son-in-lawgner to hindergenou (m) a kneegiser to rest in peacegte (m) a resting placegonfanon(m) a Norman banner

gouvernail (m) a helmgrce (f) mercy, grace, thanks; de !

les lais de marie de france

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