THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
wine, he could not run without spilling the wine. Namo and his companions mounted their horses
and rode after him. When Young Roland saw that the wine was holding him up, he poured it out
and began to run. The three noblemen kept pace with him.
Charles stayed behind in the hall, somewhat troubled by the act that Young Roland had performed,
and also by the vision that had appeared in his dream. He said to himself, “Such are the portents
that were shown to Caesar and to King Philip of Macedon and to Alexander when they were close
to death,” and he called to mind the bird that laid the egg in King Philip’s lap, and the messenger
who brought the letter to the Emperor Julius Caesar.
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Roland carried the carried the platter toward the room where Bertha was waiting, descended along
the path, and entered the room as usual. When Bertha saw the wine cup, she began to cry and said:
“Woe is me, my son; you have disobeyed me! Where did you get this golden cup? Why do you wish
for my death?” Young Roland told her how he had taken away the platter, and of how Charles had
behaved toward him. “And there was somebody standing next to him who gave me this cup, filled
with wine.” He told he was not afraid of that man Charles, “for I pulled his beard. If he offers
harm me, I’ll give him a taste of my stick.” And he ran to take up a club that he had hidden in the
cave. As boys will, Young Roland cared not a whit for Charles, or for himself, or for others.
At this moment the three nobles arrived at the cave and dismounted. Duke Namo drew his sword
and descended along the path. As he arrived at the cavern’s hollow, he shouted: “Who is in there?”
When Bertha saw him, she recognized him instantly and fled to a corner of the cavern. Young
Roland moved to pick up his club, but his mother would not let him and threw her arms around .
Young Roland said to the Duke: “What are you doing in our cave?” Bertha struck him on the