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When Aucassin heard that； he was right glad thereof。 And she
departed from him； and went into the city to the house of the Captain's
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wife； for the Captain her father in God was dead。 So she dwelt there； and
told all her tale； and the Captain's wife knew her； and knew well that she
was Nicolete that she herself had nourished。 Then she let wash and bathe
her； and there rested she eight full days。 Then took she an herb that was
named Eyebright and anointed herself therewith； and was as fair as ever
she had been all the days of her life。 Then she clothed herself in rich
robes of silk whereof the lady had great store； and then sat herself in the
chamber on a silken coverlet； and called the lady and bade her go and
bring Aucassin her love； and she did even so。 And when she came to the
Palace she found Aucassin weeping； and making lament for Nicolete his
love； for that she delayed so long。 And the lady spake unto him and said：
〃Aucassin； sorrow no more； but come thou on with me； and I will
shew thee the thing in the world that thou lovest best； even Nicolete thy
dear love； who from far lands hath come to seek of thee。〃 And Aucassin
was right glad。
Here singeth one：
When Aucassin heareth now That his lady bright of brow Dwelleth in
his own countrie； Never man was glad as he。 To her castle doth he hie
With the lady speedily； Passeth to the chamber high； Findeth Nicolete
thereby。 Of her true love found again Never maid was half so fain。 Straight
she leaped upon her feet： When his love he saw at last； Arms about her did
he cast； Kissed her often； kissed her sweet Kissed her lips and brows and
eyes。 Thus all night do they devise； Even till the morning white。 Then
Aucassin wedded her； Made her Lady of Biaucaire。 Many years abode
they there； Many years in shade or sun； In great gladness and delight Ne'er
hath Aucassin regret Nor his lady Nicolete。 Now my story all is done； Said
and sung！
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NOTES
〃THE BLENDING〃of alternate prose and verse〃is not unknown
in various countries。〃 Thus in Dr。 Steere's Swahili Tales （London； 1870）；
p。 vii。 we read： 〃It is a constant characteristic of popular native tales to
have a sort of burden； which all join in singing。 Frequently the skeleton of
the story seems to be contained in these snatches of singing； which the
story…teller connects by an extemporized account of the intervening
history 。 。 。 Almost all these stories had sung parts； and of some of these；
even those who sung them could scarcely explain the meaning 。 。 。 I have
heard stories partly told； in which the verse parts were in the Yao and
Nyamwezi languages。〃 The examples given （Sultan Majnun） are only
verses supposed to be chanted by the characters in the tale。 It is
improbable that the Yaos and Nyamwezis borrowed the custom of
inserting verse into prose tales from Arab literature； where the intercalated
verse is usually of a moral and reflective character。
Mr。 Jamieson； in Illustrations of Northern Antiquities （p。 379）；
preserved a cante…fable called Rosmer Halfman； or The Merman Rosmer。
Mr。 Motherwell remarks （Minstrelsy； Glasgow； 1827； p。 xv。）： 〃Thus I
have heard the ancient ballad of Young Beichan and Susy Pye dilated by a
story…teller into a tale of remarkable dimensionsa paragraph of prose and
then a screed of rhyme alternately given。〃 The example published by Mr。
Motherwell gives us the very form of Aucassin and Nicolete； surviving in
Scotch folk lore：…
〃Well ye must know that in the Moor's Castle； there was a mafsymore；
which is a dark deep dungeon for keeping prisoners。 It was twenty feet
below the ground； and into this hole they closed poor Beichan。 There he
stood； night and day； up to his waist in puddle…water； but night or day it
was all one to him； for no ae styme of light ever got in。 So he lay there a
lang and weary while； and thinking on his heavy weird； he made a murnfu'
sang to pass the timeand this was the sang that he made； and grat when
he sang it； for he never thought of escaping from the mafsymore； or of
seeing his ain countrie again：
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〃My hounds they all run masterless； My hawks they flee from tree to
tree； My youngest brother will heir my lands； And fair England again I'll
never see。
〃O were I free as I hae been； And my ship swimming once more on sea；
I'd turn my face to fair England； And sail no more to a strange countrie。〃
Now the cruel Moor had a beautiful daughter called Susy Pye； who
was accustomed to take a walk every morning in her garden； and as she
was walking ae day she heard the sough o' Beichan's sang； coming as it
were from below the ground。〃
All this is clearly analogous in form no less than in matter to our
cante…fable。 Mr。 Motherwell speaks of fabliaux； intended partly for
recitation； and partly for being sung； but does not refer by name to
Aucassin and Nicolete。 If we may judge by analogy； then； the form of
the cante…fable is probably an early artistic adaptation of a popular
narrative method。
STOUR； an ungainly word enough； familiar in Scotch with the sense
of wind…driven dust； it may be dust of battle。 The French is Estor。
BIAUCAIRE； opposite Tarascon； also celebrated for its local hero； the
deathless Tartarin。 There is a great deal of learning about Biaucaire；
probably the author of the cante…fable never saw the place； but he need not
have thought it was on the sea…shore； as （p。 39） he seems to do。 There he
makes the people of Beaucaire set out to wreck a ship。 Ships do not go
up the Rhone； and get wrecked there； after escaping the perils of the deep。
On p。 42； the poet clearly thinks that Nicolete； after landing from her
barque； had to travel a considerable distance before reaching Biaucaire。
The fact is that the poet is perfectly reckless of geography； like him who
wrote of the set…shore of Bohemia。
PAINTED WONDROUSLY。 No one knows what is really meant by
e miramie。
PLENTIFUL LACK OF COMFORT： rather freely for Mout i aries
peu conquis。
MALENGIN： a favourite word of Sir Thomas Malory：
〃mischievous intent。〃
FEATS OF YOUTH： ENFANCES； the regular term for the romance
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of a knight's early prowess。
TWO APPLES； nois gauges in the original。 But walnuts sound
inadequate。
Here the MS。 has a lacuna。 There is much useless learning about the
realm of Torelore。 It is somewhere between Kor and Laputa。 The
custom of the Couvade was dimly known to the poet。 The feigned lying…
in of the father may have been either a recognition of paternity （as in the
sham birth whereby Hera adopted Heracles） or may have been caused by
the belief that the health of the father at the time of the child's birth
affected that of the child。 Either origin of the Couvade is consistent with
early beliefs and customs。
EYEBRIGHT。 This is a purely fanciful rendering of Esclaire。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ Gaston Paris； in M。 Bida's edition； p。 xii。 Paris； 1878。 The
blending is not unknown in various countries。 See note at end of
Translation。
｛2｝ I know not if I unconsciously transferred this criticism from M。
Gaston Paris。
｛3｝ 〃Love in Idleness。〃 London； 1883； p。 169。
｛4｝ Theocritus； x。 37。
｛5｝ I have not thought it necessary to discuss the