THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
lost every time and were invariably mocked by the other boys. There was one district of the town
called Saint Peter Enthroned, inhabited by poor people. Because the boys in it were few, they lost
every time. These boys agreed among themselves to ask Young Roland to join them. They gathered
for the boxing contest and the scuffle began. Orlando knew little about the game and took many
blows to his face, but however many assailed him, he attacked them and knocked them down, so
that all fled before him. At this, the other side were discomforted and complained of foul play The
boys on Orlando’s side taught him how to fight without knocking men down, and those he learned
the skill of boxing.
A year had passed in these contest. The next year, when Orlando was twelve, the contest resumed
and Orlando joined with the boys of Saint Peter Enthroned, for he had been named their chief, and
begged many alms with them for the love of God.
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A neighborhood of Sutri called Borgolungo contained many boys and they always defeated another
neighborhood, where there were many merchants. These combined with those of Saint Peter
Enthroned and began to defeat all their neighboring districts. Every time they won, they cried out:
“Long live Young Roland!” One day, when they had won in many appointed places, they agreed to
an arena near the main square. There all the boys of the region divided into two camps and began a
boxing match. On one side, Young Roland was captain, and on the other, Rainier, son of Lucius
Albinus. Now, as the great scuffle began, Roland came to face Rainier. Orlando recognized him
and looked at him, but those of his party cried out to Young Orlando to attack him. Then Orlando
grappled with him and threw him to the ground, and the others of his party were routed and ran in
flight from him, who was winning and chasing them from the place where the fight took place.