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story…teller connects by an extemporized account of the intervening
history 。 。 。 Almost all these stories had sung parts； and of some of these；
even those who sung them could scarcely explain the meaning 。 。 。 I have
heard stories partly told； in which the verse parts were in the Yao and
Nyamwezi languages。〃 The examples given （Sultan Majnun） are only
verses supposed to be chanted by the characters in the tale。 It is
improbable that the Yaos and Nyamwezis borrowed the custom of
inserting verse into prose tales from Arab literature； where the intercalated
verse is usually of a moral and reflective character。
Mr。 Jamieson； in Illustrations of Northern Antiquities （p。 379）；
preserved a cante…fable called Rosmer Halfman； or The Merman Rosmer。
Mr。 Motherwell remarks （Minstrelsy； Glasgow； 1827； p。 xv。）： 〃Thus I
have heard the ancient ballad of Young Beichan and Susy Pye dilated by a
story…teller into a tale of remarkable dimensionsa paragraph of prose and
then a screed of rhyme alternately given。〃 The example published by Mr。
Motherwell gives us the very form of Aucassin and Nicolete； surviving in
Scotch folk lore：…
〃Well ye must know that in the Moor's Castle； there was a mafsymore；
which is a dark deep dungeon for keeping prisoners。 It was twenty feet
below the ground； and into this hole they closed poor Beichan。 There he
stood； night and day； up to his waist in puddle…water； but night or day it
was all one to him； for no ae styme of light ever got in。 So he lay there a
lang and weary while； and thinking on his heavy weird； he made a murnfu'
sang to pass the timeand this was the sang that he made； and grat when
he sang it； for he never thought of escaping from the mafsymore； or of
seeing his ain countrie again：
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Aucassin and Nicolete
〃My hounds they all run masterless； My hawks they flee from tree to
tree； My youngest brother will heir my lands； And fair England again I'll
never see。
〃O were I free as I hae been； And my ship swimming once more on sea；
I'd turn my face to fair England； And sail no more to a strange countrie。〃
Now the cruel Moor had a beautiful daughter called Susy Pye； who
was accustomed to take a walk every morning in her garden； and as she
was walking ae day she heard the sough o' Beichan's sang； coming as it
were from below the ground。〃
All this is clearly analogous in form no less than in matter to our
cante…fable。 Mr。 Motherwell speaks of fabliaux； intended partly for
recitation； and partly for being sung； but does not refer by name to
Aucassin and Nicolete。 If we may judge by analogy； then； the form of
the cante…fable is probably an early artistic adaptation of a popular
narrative method。
STOUR； an ungainly word enough； familiar in Scotch with the sense
of wind…driven dust； it may be dust of battle。 The French is Estor。
BIAUCAIRE； opposite Tarascon； also celebrated for its local hero； the
deathless Tartarin。 There is a great deal of learning about Biaucaire；
probably the author of the cante…fable never saw the place； but he need not
have thought it was on the sea…shore； as （p。 39） he seems to do。 There he
makes the people of Beaucaire set out to wreck a ship。 Ships do not go
up the Rhone； and get wrecked there； after escaping the perils of the deep。
On p。 42； the poet clearly thinks that Nicolete； after landing from her
barque； had to travel a considerable distance before reaching Biaucaire。
The fact is that the poet is perfectly reckless of geography； like him who
wrote of the set…shore of Bohemia。
PAINTED WONDROUSLY。 No one knows what is really meant by
e miramie。
PLENTIFUL LACK OF COMFORT： rather freely for Mout i aries
peu conquis。
MALENGIN： a favourite word of Sir Thomas Malory：
〃mischievous intent。〃
FEATS OF YOUTH： ENFANCES； the regular term for the romance
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Aucassin and Nicolete
of a knight's early prowess。
TWO APPLES； nois gauges in the original。 But walnuts sound
inadequate。
Here the MS。 has a lacuna。 There is much useless learning about the
realm of Torelore。 It is somewhere between Kor and Laputa。 The
custom of the Couvade was dimly known to the poet。 The feigned lying…
in of the father may have been either a recognition of paternity （as in the
sham birth whereby Hera adopted Heracles） or may have been caused by
the belief that the health of the father at the time of the child's birth
affected that of the child。 Either origin of the Couvade is consistent with
early beliefs and customs。
EYEBRIGHT。 This is a purely fanciful rendering of Esclaire。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ Gaston Paris； in M。 Bida's edition； p。 xii。 Paris； 1878。 The
blending is not unknown in various countries。 See note at end of
Translation。
｛2｝ I know not if I unconsciously transferred this criticism from M。
Gaston Paris。
｛3｝ 〃Love in Idleness。〃 London； 1883； p。 169。
｛4｝ Theocritus； x。 37。
｛5｝ I have not thought it necessary to discuss the conjectures； they
are no more；about the Greek or Arabic origin of the cante… fable； about
the derivation of Aucassin's name； the supposed copying of Floire et
Blancheflor； the longitude and latitude of the land of Torelore； and so forth。
In truth 〃we are in Love's land to…day；〃 where the ships sail without wind
or compass； like the barques of the Phaeacians。 Brunner and Suchier add
nothing positive to our knowledge； and M。 Gaston Paris pretends to cast
but little light on questions which it is too curious to consider at all。 In
revising the translation I have used with profit the versions of M。 Bida； of
Mr。 Bourdillon； the glossary of Suchier； and Mr。 Bourdillon's glossary。
As for the style I have attempted； if not Old English； at least English
which is elderly； with a memory of Malory。
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