THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

100
© 2009 Max Wickert
Having moved about three stone’s throws or a little further off the roadside, they found a little
clearing and dismounted by the side of a small river which ran with clear water. After leading their
horses to drink, they sat down. And, as Love will usually prompt people, it happened that, as they
gazed upon each other, Bevis disarmed and, delighting in the solitary woodland place, began to
speak of the errant knights of Great Britain long ago. They then embraced several times and Bevis
rested his head on her lap, while she leaned hers upon his side, and they fell asleep. Swallowtail
came to gaze down on them and saw that they were sleeping. He stopped grazing and became more
attentive to stand on guard than to his pasture.
In the meantime, Pulican arrived where Bevis had left the road, and knew by his smell what had
occurred. At once he turned around and tied a little piece of the banner so that when King
Marcabrun and his men arrived, they would follow in Pulican’s traces. By chance two bears and
three stags, who fled as Pulican was following the scent, made such great noise that Swallowtail
became aware of Pulican, ran toward Bevis with loud neighing and touched him with his hooves.
The lady started upright and, hearing the noise, roused Bevis, who quickly threw his hauberk on his
back, tied on his helmet, grasped his sword, and mounted.
When he was on horseback, Pulican saw him and quickly turned toward him, crying: “Bevis of
Hampton, you are a dead man unless you surrender to me. You did an evil thing to have stolen
Drusiana from King Marcabrun. Bevis put his lance in rest and rode at Pulican, but he leapt asides
before he could touch him. Then Pulican hurled a javelin at him, but Swallowtail made a great leap
sideways so that the javelin missed him. All three of the javelins missed, because of Swallowtail’s
dexterity. Seeing this, Pulican began to fire arrows at the horse.