THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
King Galafron called together his three sons and asked each of them in turn why he had not been
adequate to win the tournament. Marsilius replied: “If our god Mahound had pleased to grant me
such power, I would give up half of my share of the kingdom.” In the end, it was said that it had
been fated by eternal decree.
When some days had passed, Galeana, still anxious to know who Mainet was, had a little hole drilled
high on the wall of his chamber through which she could look into his bedchamber. Sometimes she
put her eye to it and sometimes her ear. Then she saw that he and Morand made the sign of the
cross and prayed before the cross-hilts of their swords, and heard the words that Morand addressed
to Mainet, and understood that the so-called Mainet was called Charlot, and the so-called Aragonez,
Morand of Riviera. She stood watching like this for about fifteen days, until she came to understand
that Charlot was the son of Pepin, King of France, and that Morand was his foster-parent, who
watched over him and advised him and lessoned him.
One day she took the time (for other than her no person ever entered the room where she had made
the hole and she kept it locked), and having on that day taken up her post, she entered their room all
by herself, while her mother was sleeping. When Morand saw her, he was astonished. Both he and
Mainet knelt at her feet. She said: “May Christ, who is your God, preserve you!” Morand grew
greatly troubled and stared at Mainet, thinking that he had made it know that they were Christians.
But she said: “Morand of Riviera, do not trouble yourself, for you master, Charles, is my husband.”
Then she showed them how she had pierced the partition and seen and heard everything. She
related the promise that Mainet had made to her, and she to him, and then threw herself upon
Morand’s neck, saying: “Dear father, you have had a child to rear. Now you have two. Therefore I
desire you to baptize me with your own hands.” Morand baptized her, and when she was
Christened, she desired that Mainet marry her in Morand’s presence, promising never to disobey