THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
penance, for this very day Christ will receive your soul. You must confess your sins to Roland, for
he is a righteous man.” The hermit replied: “Since it pleases Christ, I will do so, though I am
unwilling to die just yet. Who, from this day forth, will punished the wicked giants?”
Then the knights rose and partook of the bread, and in Roland’s mind, it seemed that he had eaten
choicest food and meat. When the knights had eaten, the hermit knelt to Roland and made his
confession, and said: “When I have passed from this world, open this tomb and put my body inside
it.” “I will gladly obey your command,” said Roland, and asked the hermit to intercede for him with
the Savior when he stood before Christ.
So the hermit passed from this world, and the glorious God in heaven received his soul. Roland
buried the hermit’s body, took up the crucifix, and prayed to the angel Gabriel to reveal his future
until he had to die. The angel Gabriel answered: “It is Christ’s pleasure that you shall leave this life
at the end of seven years, more or less. Know that I shall from this day forward always be at your
left shoulder and never leave you until your death.” Roland replied: “I am well pleased with the
company that Christ sends me.” Yet again, the angel spoke to him: “Now ride swiftly to Charles’
host at Pamplona, for if you delay but ten days, Charles army will perish; Malzarisse of Pamplona
has prepared engines by which, if you do not arrive in ten days, all your people will be destroyed.
Moreover, I shall give you greater certainty about your death: when you cut one man on one horse
into four pieces with one stroke of Durandel, that will be the time when you must leave this world.”
Then Count Roland went to horse, took the crucifix that the holy hermit had given him, tied it to his
saddle, and spurred his horse toward the mountainside. He arrived at the fountain and saw the
golden-winged falcon perched on the tree. It had kept his companions safe and whole. As soon as
they rose, the falcon left the tree and shook it so that several fruit dropped. Samsonet picked them