THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
great miracles, he undid all such enchantments; it is my duty to undo this one.” Then Roland
reached for Durandel and cut off the old man’s grey beard. In an instant all the statues vanished.
That night, Roland slept by the fountain. When morning rose, he armed and mounted his steed, very
thoughtful and ill at ease. He would have turned back, but was ashamed to do so. Roland rode for
two days without meeting a soul. On the third day he reached the seashore, very hungry and thirsty.
As he arrived there, he saw two robbers from the land of Palastres running toward him, followed by
five more robbers, so that there were seven. The master of these robbers was called Baldor of
Pallestres, and he cried out to him: “Sir knight, give me your armor and horse at once, else you are a
dead man.” Roland reached for his sword and slew Baldor, and in the same instant leapt from his
horse and killed all the rest of the seven. For two years they had been thieves on this coast,
despoiling whoever passed through the region.
Roland stayed near the shore and soon saw a great ship with a great sail coming toward him. He
took his sword and waved it and began shouting to the sailors in the ship, and they at once came to
land. The knight said, “Tell me, good mariners, what country are you coming from?” The sailors
answered: “We are from Persia, for Machidant, King of Jerusalem and Syria, has attacked the Sultan
of Persia. They have fought many battles, and already more than a hundred thousand Saracens on
both sides have died.” All the while the sailors were looking at the knight, who seemed so
handsome and comely. At last their captain said: “And you, where do you come from?” Roland
answered: “I am a poor squire from Napal. A few days ago I made my escape from Charles’
nephew, Roland. He captured the city of Napal and its surroundings and caused all the people to be
baptized. He also slew Ferrau. Charles is besieging Pamplona and has fought a great battle with
Malzarisse’s army. More than sixty thousand Saracens died there, and every part of Navarre and
Spain has been laid waste. While I was escaping from Napal, I met a Christian, whom I killed and