THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
After Morand had returned to court and restored the horse, he went to the palace. But Galeana,
who had not yet seen Mainet return, called Morand to her and said: “What have you done with the
man whom you served in the lists?” Morand answered: “Nothing at all.” She drew him apart, in the
presence of her duenna, and said: “Tell me, Aragonez: who is that young man?” He replied:
“Madam, I do not know him very well.” Galeana answered: “You do know him.” Morand swore:
“By Mahomet, I do not know him.” Said Galeana: “Don’t swear by Mahomet, but by your own
God.” Then Morand suspected that Mainet had not yet made himself known, and denied it. While
they were thus talking, Mainet arrived and Galeana greeted him with great joy.
At the end of the day, the duenna was engaged in some talk with one of the maidservants. Galeana
overheard them and rose to move away so that not be discovered, fearing to betray her sworn love.
Certainly Galeana had a great desire to know who Mainet was, and many times, when he was by her
side, did she ask to tell her, for God’s sake, who he was. He always replied that he was a merchant’s
son from Aragon. But she said to him: “My duenna told me that she heard you weeping, and what
you were saying; it cannot be not true that you a merchant’s son.”
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King Galafron commanded that the name of the man who had won the tournament be found out,
and it could not be discovered. Thus Galafron did not know upon whom to bestow his daughter.
He held a parliament in order to give her either to Ulien of Sarza or Grandonio of Morocco. The
came to Galeana’s knowledge and she sent to her father to say that she had no desire for a husband,
except the one that fortune had bestowed upon her, namely the man who had won the tournament.
Thereupon all by the king’s leave returned to their countries.