雙語《列那狐》 17

CHAPTER XVII

NOW hearken how the Fox began. In the beginning he appealed Grymbart his dear Cousin, which ever had helped him in his need. He did so because his words should be the better believed; and that he further might the better lie on his enemies. Thus began he first and said:

“My lord, my father had found King Ermeryk's treasure dolven in a pit; and when he had this great good, he was so proud and orguillous that he had all other beasts in despite which before had been his fellows. He made Tybert the Cat to go into that wild land of Ardenne to Bruin the Bear for to do him homage, and bade him say, if he would be King that he should come in to Flanders. Bruin the Bear was glad hereof, for he had long desired it, and went forth in to Flanders; where my father received him right friendly. Anon he sent for the wise Grymbart, my nephew, and for Esegrim the Wolf, and for Tybert the Cat. Tho these five came between Gaunt and the thorp called Yfte, there they held their council an whole dark night long. What with the devil's help and craft, and for my father's riches, they concluded and swore there the King's death. Now hearken, and hear this wonder. The four swore upon Esegrim's crown that they should make Bruin a king and a lord, and bring him in the stool at Akon, and set the crown on his head; and if there were any of the King's friends or lineage that would be contrary or against this, him should my father with his good and treasure fordrive, and take from him his might and power.

“It happed so that on a morrowtide early when Grymbart, my nephew, was of wine almost drunk, that he told it to Dame Sloepcade, his wife, in counsel, and bade her keep it secret. But she anon forgot it, and said it forth in confession to my wife upon an heath where they both went a pilgrimage, but she must first swear, by her truth and by the holy Three Kings of Cologne, that for love nor for hate she should never tell it forth, but keep it secret. But she held it not, and kept it no longer secret but till she came to me; and she then told to me all that she heard, but I must keep it in secret. And she told me so many tokens that I felt well it was truth; and for dread and fear my hair stood right up, and my heart became as heavy as lead and as cold as ice. I thought by this a likeness which here aforetime befell to the frosshis which were free and complained that they had none lord nor were not bydwongen, for a comynte without a governor was not good, and they cried to God with a loud voice that he would ordain one that might rule them, this was all that they desired. God heard their request, for it was reasonable, and sent to them a Stork which ate and swallowed them in, as many as he could find; he was alway to them unmerciful. Tho complained they their hurt, but then it was too late; they that were before free and were afraid of nobody are now bound and must obey to strength their king: herefor, you rich and poor, I sorrowed, that it might happen us in likewise.

“Thus, my lord the King, I have had sorrow for you whereof you can me but little thank. I know Bruin the Bear for such a shrew and ravener, wherefore I thought if he were king we should be all destroyed and lost. I know our sovereign lord the King of so high birth, so mighty, so benign and merciful, that I thought truly it had been an evil change for to have a foul stinking thief and to refuse a noble mighty stately Lion; for the Bear has more mad folly in his unthrifty head, and all his ancestors, than any other has. Thus had I in my heart many a sorrow, and thought alway how I might break and foredo my father's false counsel, which of a churl and a traitor and worse than a thief would make a lord and a king. Alway I prayed God that he would keep our King in worship and good health, and grant him long life, but I thought well if my father held his treasure he should with his false fellows well find the way that the King should be deposed and set aside. I was sore bethought how I might best wit where my father's good lay. I awaited at all times as nigh as I could, in woods, in bushes, in fields; where my father laid his eyes; were it by night or by day, cold or wet, I was alway by him to espy and know where his treasure was laid.

“On a time I lay down all plat on the ground and saw my father come running out of an hole. Now hark what I saw him do. When he came out of the hole, he looked fast about if anybody had seen him. And when he could nowhere none see, he stopped the hole with sand and made it even and plain like to the other ground by. He knew not that I saw it. And where his footspore stood, there stryked he with his tail, and made it smooth with his mouth, that no man should espy it. That learned I there of my false father, and many subtleties that I before knew nothing of. Then departed he thence and ran to the village ward for to do his things; and I forgot not, but sprang and leapt to the hole ward, and how well that he had supposed that he had made all fast I was not so much a fool but that I found the hole well, and scratched and scraped with my feet the sand out of the hole, and crept therein. There found I the most plenty of silver and of gold that ever I saw. Here is none so old that ever so much saw on one heap in all his life. Tho took I Ermelyne my wife to help, and we nor rested night nor day to bear and carry away, with great labour and pain, this rich treasure in to another place that lay for us better, under an hawe in a deep hole. In the mean while that my housewife and I thus laboured, my father was with them that would betray the King. Now may you hear what they did. Bruin the Bear and Esegrim the Wolf sent all the land about if any man would take wages that they should come to Bruin and he would pay them their souldyou or wages before. My father ran all over the land and bare the letters. He wist little that he was robbed of his treasure; yea though he might have wonnen all the world, he had not conne find a penny thereof.

“When my father had been over all in the land between the Elbe and the Somme, and had gotten many a soldier that should the next summer have come to help Bruin, tho came he again to the Bear and his fellows, and told them in how great a venture he had be before the boroughs in the land of Saxon, and how the hunters daily ridden and hunted with hounds after him in such wise that he uneasily escaped with his life. When he had told this to these four false traitors, then showed he them letters that pleased much. To Bruin therein were written twelve hundred of Esegrim's lineage by name, without the bears, the foxes, the cats, and the dassen, all these had sworn that with the first messenger that should come for them they should be ready, and come for to help the Bear if they had their wages a month before. This aspied I, I thank God. After these words my father went to the hole where his treasure had lain, and would look upon it. Tho began he a great sorrow; that he sought he found nothing. He found his hole broken, and his treasure borne away. There did he that I may well sorrow and bewail, for great anger and sorrow he went and hung himself. Thus abode the treason of Bruin by my subtilty after. Now see my infortune. These traitors Esegrim and Bruin are now most privy of counsel about the King, and sit by him on the high bench. And I, poor Reynart, have nor thanks nor reward. I have buried my own father, because the King should have his life. My lord,”said the Fox,“where are they that would so do, that is, to destroy them self for to keep you.”

The King and the Queen hoped to win the treasure and without council took to them Reynart and prayed him that he would do so well as to tell them where this treasure was.

Reynart said,“How should I tell the King, or them that would hang me for love of the traitors and murderers which by their flattery would fain bring me to death? Should I tell to them where my good is, then were I out of my wit.”

The Queen then spake,“Nay, Reynart, the King shall let you have your life, and shall altogether forgive you, and you shall be from henceforth wise and true to my lord.”

The Fox answered to the Queen,“Dear lady, if the King will believe me, and that he will pardon and forgive me all my old trespasses, there was never King so rich as I shall make him. For the treasure that I shall do him have is right costly and may not be numbered.”

The King said,“Ach Dame, will you believe the Fox? Save your reverence, he is born to rob, steal, and to lie. This cleaves to his bones, and can not be had out of the flesh.”

The Queen said,“Nay, my lord, you may now well believe him. Though he were before fell, he is now changed otherwise than he was. You have well heard that he has impeached his father and the Dasse his nephew, which he might well have laid on other beasts if he would have been false, fell, and a liar.”

The King said,“Dame, will you then have it so, and think you it best to be don, though I supposed it should hurt me I will take all these trespasses of Reynart upon me and believe his words. But I swear by my crown, if he ever hereafter misdo and trespass, that shall he dear abyou and all his lineage unto the ninth degree.”

The Fox looked on the King stoundmele, and was glad in his heart, and said,“My lord, I were not wise if I should say things that were not true.”

The King took up a straw from the ground, and pardoned and forgave the Fox all the misdeeds and trespasses of his father and of him also. If the Fox was tho merry and glad, it was no wonder; for he was quit of his death and was all free and frank of all his enemies. The Fox said,“My Lord the king and noble Lady the Queen, God reward you this great worship that you do to me. I shall think and also thank you for it in such wise that you shall be the richest king of the world; for there is none living under the sun that I vouchsafe better my treasure on, than on you both.”

Then took the Fox up a straw and proffered it to the King, and said,“My most dear Lord, please it you to receive here the rich treasure which King Ermeryk had. For I give it unto you with a free will, and knowledge it openly.”

The King received the straw, and threw it merely from him with a joyous visage, and thanked much the Fox.

The Fox laughed in himself.

The King then hearkened after the counsel of the Fox. And all that there were were at his will.

“My Lord,”said he,“hearken and mark well my words. In the west side of Flanders there stands a wood and is named Hulsterlo, and a water that is called Krekenpyt lies thereby. This is so great a wilderness, that oft in a whole year man nor wife comes therein, save they that will, and they that will not eschew it. There lies this treasure hidden. Understand well that the place is called Krekenpyt, for I advise you, for the least hurt, that you and my Lady go both thither; for I know none so true that I durst on your behalf trust; wherefore go yourself. And when you come to Krekenpyt you shall find there two birch trees standing althernext the pit. My Lord, to tho birch trees shall you go: there lies the treasure untherdolven. There must you scrape and dig away a little the moss on the one side. There shall you find many a jewel of gold and silver, and there shall you find the crown which king Ermeryk wore in his days. That should Bruin the Bear have worn, if his will had gone forth. You shall see many a costly jewel, with rich stones set in gold work, which cost many a thousand mark. My Lord the King, when you now have all this good, how oft shall you say in your heart and think,‘Oh how true art thou, Reynart the Fox, that with thy subtle wit delvest and hidest this great treasure! God give thee good hap and welfare wherever thou be!’”

The King said,“Sir Reynart, you must come and help us to dig up this treasure. I know not the way. I should never conne find it. I have heard often named Paris, London, Aachen, and Cologne; as me thinks this treasure lies right as you mocked and japed, for you name Krekenpyt. That is a feigned name.”

These words were not good to the Fox, and he said with an angry mood, and dissembled and said,“Yea, my Lord the King, you be also nigh that as from Rome to Maye. Ween you that I will lead you to flume Jordan. Nay, I shall bring you out of weening and show it you by good witness.”

He called loud,“Cuwart the Hare, come here before the King.”The beasts saw all thitherward and wondered what the King would.

The Fox said to the Hare,“Cuwart, are you acold; how tremble you and quake so? Be not afraid; and tell my Lord the King here the truth, and that I charge you, by the faith and truth that you owe him and to my Lady the Queen, of such thing as I shall demand of you.”

Cuwart said,“I shall say the truth, though I should lose my neck therefor. I shall not lie, you have charged me so sore, if I know it.”

“Then say, know you not where Krekenpyt stands? Is that in your mind?”

The Hare said,“I knew that well twelve year agone, where that stands. Why ask you that? It stands in a wood named Hulsterlo, upon a warande in the wilderness. I have suffered there much sorrow for hunger and for cold, yea, more than I can tell. Pater Symonet the Friese was woned to make there false money, wherewith he bare himself out and all his fellowship but that was before ere I had fellowship with Ryn the Hound, which made me escape many a danger; as he could well tell if he were here, and that I never in my days trespassed against the King otherwise than I ought to do with right.”

Reynart said to him,“Go again to yonder fellowship. Hear you, Cuwart? My Lord the King desires no more to know of you.”The Hare returned and went again to the place he came from.

The Fox said,“My Lord the King, is it true that I said?”

“Yea, Reynart,”said the King,“forgive it me; I did evil that I believed you not. Now, Reynart, friend, find the way that you go with us to the place and pit where the treasure lies.”

The Fox said,“It is a wonder thing. Ween you that I would not fain go with you; if it were so with me that I might go with you in such wise that it no shame were unto your lordship, I would go. But nay, it may not be. Hearken what I shall say, and must needs, though it be to me villainy and shame. When Esegrim the Wolf, in the devil's name, went into religion and became a monk shorn in the order, tho the provender of six monks was not sufficient to him, and had not enough to eat, he then plained and wailed so sore that I had pity on him, for he became slow and sick. And because he was of my kin, I gave him counsel to run away, and so he did. Wherefore I stand accursed, and am in the Pope's ban and sentence. I will to-morrow betimes, as the sun rises, take my way to Rome for to be assoiled and take pardon. And from Rome I will over the sea into the Holy Land, and will never return again till I have done so much good that I may with worship go with you. It were great reproof to you, my Lord the King, in what land that I accompanied you that men should say you reysed and accompanied yourself with a cursed and person agravate.”

The King said,“Since that you stand accursed in the censures of the Church, if I went with you men should arette villainy unto my crown. I shall then take Cuwart or some other to go with me to Krekenpyt; and I counsel you, Reynart, that you put you yourself out of this curse.”

“My Lord,”quoth the Fox,“therefore will I go to Rome as hastily as I may. I shall not rest by night nor day till I be assoiled.”

“Reynart,”said the King,“me thinks you are turned into a good way. God give you grace to accomplish well your desire.”

As soon as this speaking was done, Noble the King went and stood upon an high stage of stone and commanded silence to all the beasts, and that they should sit down in a ring round upon the grass, everiche in his place after his estate and birth. Reynart the Fox stood by the Queen, whom he ought well to love. Then said the King,“Hear you all that be poor and rich, young and old, that stands here. Reynart, one of the head officers of my house, had done so evil, which this day should have been hanged, has now in this Court done so much, that I and my wife the Queen have promised to him our grace and friendship. The Queen has prayed much for him, insomuch that I have made peace with him. And I give to him his life and member freely again, and I command you upon your life that you do worship to Reynart and his wife, and to his children, wheresomever you meet them by day or night. And I will also hear no more complaints of Reynart. If he has heretofore misdone and trespassed, he will no more misdo nor trespass, but now better him. He will to-morrow early go to the Pope for pardon and forgiveness of all his sins, and forth over the sea to the Holy Land, and he will not come again till he bring pardon of all his sins.”

This tale heard Tyselyn the Raven and leapt to Esegrim to Bruin and to Tybert, there as they were, and said,“You caitifs, how goes it now? You unhappy folk, what do you here? Reynart the Fox is now a squire and a courtier, and right great and mighty in the Court. The King has skylled him quite of all his brokes, and forgiven him all his trespasses and misdeeds. And you be all betrayed and appeached.”

Esegrim said,“How may this be? I think Tyselyn that you lie.”

“I do not, certainly,”said the Raven.

Tho went the Wolf and the Bear to the King. Tybert the Cat was in great sorrow, and he was so sore afraid that for to have the Fox's friendship he would well forgive Reynart the loss of his one eyou that he lost in the priest's house, he was so woe he wist not what to do, he would well that he never had seen the Fox.