THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
Orlando hid in a corner of the hall, and when King Charles, Orlando kept a watchful eye on him
and on all that was happening. When he saw the food brought in and saw the taster assay it, he leapt
forward and seized the first bowl that was set before Charles, filled with capons and divers other
meats. The bowl was of gold-plated silver, so that it looked like gold, and its bottom was marked
with Charles’ coat-of-arms. When Orlando seized that bowl, the nobleman who carved before
Charles was about to strike Young Roland, but Charles, observing the boy’s daring, said to his
servant: “Do not do this. Let him go.” Charles was so pleased that he laughed at the eagerness with
which Young Roland snatched up the bowl, for he spilled some of the broth that it contained on his
breast.
When Young Roland had gone, Charles exclaimed: “Do you see how much courage that boy has
shown? And he is still such a baby!” As he was laughing with his nobles, Charles was told of the
quarrel he had begun with some ruffians, and how he had broke open the porter’s head, and how he
had taken the food from some scoundrels and given it to the poor who were unable to step up. Said
King Charles, “That boy is surely descended from a noble father,” and asked some men of the city
whose son he was. None knew how to answer him, and a worthy citizen of Sutri said: “Your Sacred
Majesty, about twelve years ago there arrived here a soldier whose looks and bearing proclaimed him
a man of parts. He came with his wife, who was pregnant and they settled in this region. The
woman gave birth to this boy in nearby cave. Nothing has been seen of the soldier for six years
now. Either he left out of despair, or else he died. But this boy has always gone begging, and
sometimes he does so in his mother’s company.” He also spoke at length of the contests he had
waged with the other boys, and of how they had fashioned him a garment quartered red and white.
Young Roland, with the bowl and the meat, returned to his mother, who saw the coat-of-arms and
at once recognized it. She cried out: “Where did you get this thing?” Young Roland told her the