THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORLD, CONQUERS A KINGS SON • 2 O o •
were so fair and so winsome' that they were like two stars, and it was a wonder to see y them; & one carne to meet the other. Moreover I tell you that this youth was so strong LT and so powerful that he found none in his fathers kingdom who could stand against FB z him by might, so that for this reason he was come the more confidently. And when the FB damsel and the youth were in the middle of the hall, and there were here so great multitude of people as I have told you above, then the agreement was made that if z z the youth were vanquished, that he must lose the thousand horses which he had brought specially for this proof; so that this was a very great win of a thousand horses FA at one blow; but he had such confidence in his strength that he thought he would win her at once. And after this agreement the damsel and the youth gripped one another, and all the people who saw them said among themselves that they wished that the youth might conquer that he might be lord to the kings daughter, and the king wonderfully z wished the same and the queen. And why should I make you a long story ? You may know quite truly that when the two young people had taken hold one of the other with hands & arms G' sometimes with feet, the one pulls there and the other here, L and they made a very fine beginning • and for a long time one could not overcome the other, TA FB but such was the fortune that at last the kings daughter vanquished him and FB throws' him under her on the pavement of the palace most violently. And when he saw FB FB
himself under her he had very great wrath because of it and very great shame, and did nothing else but when he was risen went away as soon as he could with all his company, and went off to his father all ashamed of that which had happened to him, that he had been defeated by a girl. He left the thousand horses. And in such manner was the kings son vanquished and lost the said thousand horses. The father and the mother were much grieved at it, y Hi for they wished the youth to win. Moreover I tell you that there was no one in all the hall who was not sorry for it, that the youth had so lost, for he was one of the finest men TA who had yet come there or who was ever seen . • Now we have told you of the feats of the daughter FB of the king Caidu. And again I tell you that the king Caidu takes this daughter who vanquished the kings son into many battles, and in all the fight he had no knight that was more valiant than she. Moreover I tell you that many times off went y this [99b] damsel among the enemy and seized a knight by force as easily as if it FB were a bird and carried him off prisoner to her people; and this happened many times.' y Now we have told you the story of the daughter of the king Caidu and in future we will leave this matter and will tell you going forward of the other things, and TA V
1 auint FB: avenant
2 iene probably for Tette FB: getta V: mese
3 FB ends here with the note, Bertran.Richart Scripsit hoc. This note dates the MS. about 146o, when Richart was in the service of Charles Duke of Orleans at Blois. cf. B. p.xl.
IIIF Color HighRes
