Editor’s Note:
The following is another of the lost tales from the recently discovered “Le Déjeuner d’Arthur.” This tale, like “The Quest of Sir Cochon Le Cur Faible” is part of a larger cycle of tales about aspiring knights seeking to join the Knights of the Round Table. Le Déjeuner was originally a collection of oral stories recorded by an unknown French printer that some have identified as Jean Dupré, a contemporary of Caxton whose edition of Le Morte d’Arthur is well known to English readers. Through historical misadventure an early copy of Le Déjeuner was taken by Louis-Joseph de Montcalm to New France where it was eventually translated into Quebecois. Unfortunately the French original was lost, and only the Quebecois version remains today. For those of you unfamiliar with Quebecois as a “language”, Quebecois is to French as Spanglish is to English. Tonton Guillaume Cloche has given us this current translation of Le Déjeuner. Today the only known copy of the work can be found in the Royal Canadian Museum of History in Toronto.
It was early in the season of Pentecost when one came riding to Arthur’s court out of the eastern shires. His colours per bend sinister upon his shield were rich chocolate brown and the purest white. He was a hefty knight and full of hearty cheer at finding a new court and a new lord. The court from which he fled was grown stale and its lord right pale, no leader of worthy knights, a narrow poxy man that by Sir Mallow de Mar’s own account honoured not such knights as bold brave Sir Mallow de Mar.
The following is another of the lost tales from the recently discovered “Le Déjeuner d’Arthur.” This tale, like “The Quest of Sir Cochon Le Cur Faible” is part of a larger cycle of tales about aspiring knights seeking to join the Knights of the Round Table. Le Déjeuner was originally a collection of oral stories recorded by an unknown French printer that some have identified as Jean Dupré, a contemporary of Caxton whose edition of Le Morte d’Arthur is well known to English readers. Through historical misadventure an early copy of Le Déjeuner was taken by Louis-Joseph de Montcalm to New France where it was eventually translated into Quebecois. Unfortunately the French original was lost, and only the Quebecois version remains today. For those of you unfamiliar with Quebecois as a “language”, Quebecois is to French as Spanglish is to English. Tonton Guillaume Cloche has given us this current translation of Le Déjeuner. Today the only known copy of the work can be found in the Royal Canadian Museum of History in Toronto.
It was early in the season of Pentecost when one came riding to Arthur’s court out of the eastern shires. His colours per bend sinister upon his shield were rich chocolate brown and the purest white. He was a hefty knight and full of hearty cheer at finding a new court and a new lord. The court from which he fled was grown stale and its lord right pale, no leader of worthy knights, a narrow poxy man that by Sir Mallow de Mar’s own account honoured not such knights as bold brave Sir Mallow de Mar.
Right glad was Arthur to hear the bold yet humble words of such a mighty knight. But Merlin stood afar off, watchful, pondering, and Sir Gawain with a thin lipped smile beat softly upon his shield with clenched fist.
One reason why King Arthur was such a noble well loved king was that his heart was open, and glad was he to give right good welcome to those who came in good faith; yet Arthur’s weakness was that always there were some who came for other reasons. No good will come from those who offer themselves to a new king when they harbour evil in their hearts for the liege lord they leave behind. Their compliments are a sweet poison that will soon turn sour. Soon Arthur would be beating upon his own shield with a closed fist.
As Sir Mallow de Mar spoke on with silvered words of praise Arthur suddenly became aware of the soft thud of Gawain’s clenched fist beating upon his shield; then looked from the face of Gawain to that of Merlin. Merlin stood with arms folded across his chest, his eyes fixed on Arthur. Arthur continued to smile, but took a step backward away from Sir Mallow de Mar who eagerly pressed forward.
At last Arthur spoke, “There are but two empty seats at the Table Round. One has been prophesied of old. The other may be filled only by one who has won worship through a noble quest. Welcome good guest, but abide and wait for a worthy quest to arise.”
The word’s were neither approval or rejection, just words of courtesy, and though Sir Mallow de Mar answered Arthur’s smile with a smile of his own, his eyes belied his smile and his fair words. Soon he would mount his palfrey and move on seeking entrance at the court of some more worthy king, and complaining all the while of the inhospitable nature of King Arthur who failed to recognize the great gifts Sir Mallow de Mar had offered to the Table Round.
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