TRUSTY RUAL AND HIS FOSTER-SON.
A was the gates of the castle, for
Rivalin, the lord of the place, was against Morgan, his feudal
superior, had too great to be borne. Within the
castle, Blancheflur, Rivalin's wife, was praying for her
husband's safety, as she in her weak arms her little son that
had been while the of the air.
All day long it lasted. In the evening, Rual, the marshal, back
into the bleeding, and called to his wife to save what she
could, and make for flight, for King Rivalin had fallen,
and the enemy to the castle. Queen Blancheflur
heard what he said, and with a dead. Rual,
seeing that nothing be done for her, the other in
their preparations, and, of his own wounds, made
ready to with his master's child to a place of safety.
But while they to the marshal, it was already too
late-the was surrounded, and no way of remained. They
carried the queen to another room, and the marshal's wife took the
baby for her own. The were all faithful, and when Morgan took
the soon afterwards, he that Rivalin had left a
living child. The king, who Rual for his fidelity
to his late master, him of the he had just
subdued, and then to his own place.
Time passed on, and the foster-parents were with the good
qualities their developed. They had had him Tristram,
or Tristan (Sorrowful), of the sad that had
attended his birth. Rual himself him all exercises, and
got him to him in music, languages, and many other
accomplishments.
One day some merchants on the coast, and offered their
wares for sale. Young Tristram often to see them, and
questioned them about their country, and about the many lands
they visited. The boy's and the great knowledge he
possessed their cupidity. They to him, and
sell him in some country where he would a good price. So
once, when he was on their ship, they the anchor,
and set sail. Rual them, but they escaped, to the greater
swiftness of their vessel. Another danger, however, to
overwhelm them. A came on, than any they had ever
encountered before. They it a of God's wrath, and were
filled with and awe. In the of their they swore
to set the boy free, and they their word. They put him on
an unknown coast, that with his gifts he would
soon make a livelihood. They were not mistaken. A of pilgrims
happening to pass that way, Tristram joined them, and them
to the of King Mark of Cornwall. The king took the boy into his
service as page, and very of him.
Meantime Rual had his foster-son everywhere, and was
broken-hearted at not being able to him, or any news of him.
He from one country to another, his way. At last,
footsore and weary, he at King Mark's court. Tristram greeted
him with joy, and took him to the king.
When Mark who the was, he angrily:
"What! Are you the of the Rivalin, who stole
away my sister Blancheflur?"
"Sire," Rual, "love him do so. The Lady Blancheflur had
been married to my master she away from here. She
and her husband are dead, and this youth," his hand on
Tristram's shoulder, "whom I have up from his infancy, and whom
I have for years, is their only child."
The king was to this tale, and was pleased to that
his page was in his nephew. Rual in Cornwall
with his foster-son, for, his wife being dead, he did not to
return home, and again Morgan's sway.
Tristram up to be a tall and man, a warrior, and a
noble knight, as much in peace as in war. But although he lived
a full and life, he not his native land, and often
mourned over the that his fellow-countrymen and rightful
subjects under the of a oppressor. He at last
explained his on the to his uncle, who gave him men
and ships, telling him to go and set his people free, but making him
promise to return to Cornwall afterwards, as he had him to
succeed him on the throne.
The was successful. Morgan was and slain, and
Tristram was King of Parmenia. He for a year longer in
his native land, settling all differences, and for
the good of his subjects. Having done this, he Rual of
the realm, and returned to Cornwall as he had promised.
ISOLDE (YSEULT, ISOUD).
On his there, he every one in great distress. King Gurmun
of Ireland had, his absence, Cornwall, and, with the
help of his brother-in-law Morolt, a powerful and great warrior,
had the country, and King Mark to pay him tribute; and a
shameful it was. By the with Gurmun, the Cornish king
was to send thirty boys of birth to Ireland every
year, to be as for the of the Irish king. On the
very day of Tristram's return, Mark was about to deliver the thirty
boys into the hands of Morolt, Gurmun's messenger, who had come to
receive them.
Tristram was very angry when he the news, and told the knights
they were to have to such an arrangement. Then
going to Morolt, he up the treaty, saying it was too
inhuman to be kept. Morolt's only answer was to his and
challenge him to single combat. He accepted, and the began. After
some time, Morolt, having Tristram, cried:
"Yield, Sir Tristram: I for your youth. Yield, and my sister,
Queen Isolde, shall your wound, for she alone can a wound
made by my blade."
"Death rather," the knight, and making a effort,
he his adversary's open from to jaw.
This settled the matter. The Irish returned home sadly, with
them the of their hero, while the to his
uncle's palace. His was and bound, but it would not heal.
It to fester, in of the use of balm, and other of
well-known excellence. An doctor who was called in to see
the patient, said that only the Irish queen Isolde, and her of
the same name, the art of such out of a wound.
So Tristram to go to Ireland in the of a minstrel, and
seek at the hands of the queen, although he that Gurmun
had to kill him and every Cornishman who had the to
fall into his hands.
At length he the Irish court, and there he played and sang so
beautifully that the queen sent for him, and him to teach his
art to her Isolde. The the an
attentive pupil; and while teaching her, and to her sweet
voice as she sang some ditty, he would for a time
the pain of his wound. And she, in learning from him, learnt to love
him with all the of her heart.
The days on, and the pain of his and worse. Then
he told the queen of his suffering, and asked her to him. This she
at once to do, and a later he was cured. He now
sang with power than before, and the king was so with
his music that he would have liked to keep him for at his court.
But, of discovery, Tristram to be gone while yet
there was time.
On his return to Cornwall, he was by all the
great lords, who that King Mark would make him his heir, and
they did not wish to have a to over them. They wished
the king to marry, and Tristram, what was in their minds,
himself his uncle to choose a wife, saying that the Princess
Isolde of Ireland would be the most person for him to wed.
After some deliberation, it was that Tristram should go to King
Gurmun as his uncle's ambassador, to ask for the hand of the princess.
Arrived in Ireland, he set out for the residence. On the way he
heard that the king would give his in
marriage to a that was the land,
provided he who the country were of birth.
Tristram out the dragon, and, after a long struggle, killed it;
then out the of the creature, as a proof that he had
really it, he to go; but the of the
monster so him, that he into the out
of which the had come.
Struggle as he might, he not free himself, for he had up to
the shoulders. While in this plight, he saw a horseman
approach, cut off the of the monster, and then away.
The was (head waiter) at the palace. He the king
the dragon's head, and the of victory. The queen,
who the man well, and him to be a coward, did not his
tale; so she with her train to the dragon's hole, and discovered
the hero in the morass. His sword, and the tongue
showed that it was he who had done the deed. He was insensible
when he was taken out of the and to the palace. The
princess at once him to be the who had before
visited Ireland, and that his birth was good to
enable him to win the prize. The queen gave him a sleeping potion, and
told him to keep quiet. Then taking her into the next room,
she her the of the lind-worm, and the with
which the was slain.
"Look," she said, "the is the hero of this adventure, and
not that sewer."
She left the room, adding that the truth would soon be known. Isolde
took up the and it. She saw that a of the was
broken off.
"Merciful heaven," she cried, "surely he cannot be the--" She ceased,
and took from a the of she had out of the
wound on her uncle's head. She the to the blade, and
saw that it was as she had feared.
"Ha," she on, with anger, "he is the of my
uncle Morolt. He must die, die by my hand, and be with his own
weapon."
Seizing the in a grip, she into the room where
Tristram was sleeping, and the over his head; but as she
did so, he as in a happy dream, and she not do the deed.
Then it to her that she saw her uncle looking at her
reproachfully, and she her to strike, but at that moment
her hand was by her mother, who had entered unnoticed.
"Wretched child," she cried, "what are you doing? Are you mad?"
Isolde told the queen that this was Tristram, her uncle's murderer; and
the mother answered:
"I loved my dearly, but I cannot him, for this man has
saved our people from the dragon, and a nation is more than a
single man, dear to our hearts."
Isolde that her mother was right, and let her die.
When Tristram had recovered, he did not the dragon's in
proof of what he had done, but the to trial by combat.
Now the man had often before, but when he saw Tristram come
forth to meet him in the lists, his died him, and he
confessed his guilt. King Gurmun ordered the recreant
knight's to be broken, and sent him a man.
Tristram then the dragon's tongue, and was at once proclaimed
victor the of the people.
Great was the of all, when Tristram, of claiming
the princess' hand, to her for his uncle King Mark, of
Cornwall. Gurmun had such a to King Mark that he would have
refused him as a son-in-law point-blank, if Queen Isolde had not taken
part in the debate, and the of way. So Tristram
received a answer from the king, and was content. No one
thought of the if she were to the old king
of Cornwall. She was a princess, and were allowed a
choice, when of State that they should some
particular person.
THE LOVE-POTION.
The on Tristram's vessel, which was about to sail
for Cornwall. Her and were there also, and as soon as
her old nurse and came to the ship, they were
to set sail. BrangAne was with the queen, who to say a
few last in private.
"Look, BrangAne," said the mother, "take this goblet, and keep it
carefully. It a drink of the of certain
plants, and is a love-potion. See that my and her husband both
drink it on their marriage day, and all will yet be well."
The nurse promised to be careful, and took of the queen.
Wind and weather were to the voyagers. One day when Tristram
had been and playing to the for a long time, and
trying his best to her from on her dead
uncle, her old home, and the unknown future, he so thirsty that
before another song he was to ask for something to
drink. One of the opened a cupboard, and there a
goblet with a drink all prepared, that the nurse had
made it in case it were wanted, and took it to Tristram, who the
cup to Isolde that she might him, as was the custom. The
princess the cup to her and a little; but it
very good, she put it to her again, and the contents.
Then she returned it to Tristram, who it at a draught.
Their met, and they that they loved each other.
When BrangAne came in a minutes later, and saw the empty goblet
upon the table, she into tears, and what had occurred,
saying that the queen had her the love-potion to to
Isolde and King Mark upon their wedding-day. But the comforted
her by that no was done, for beings had free will,
and against enchantment. And they did; but
their love was strong.
The ship the harbour, and King Mark came to meet his
nephew and his bride. He was much pleased with the of the
princess, he with all ceremony. The marriage took place,
and King Mark himself a happy man.
All on for some time, so did the nurse conceal
her lady's love for Sir Tristram; but after a time people to
whisper, and at length the the ears of the king. At
first he would not the truth of what he heard, but afterwards
the thing was proved to him so that he no longer doubt.
He to the lovers to trial. Meanwhile BrangAne had
discovered that the king all; she therefore Tristram, and
fled into the with him and Isolde. There they themselves in
a for a long time. But winter was on, and the nurse feared
for her darling's life if she in such a place the frost
and snow.
One day as they were talking over what were best to be done, King Mark
suddenly appeared them. BrangAne forward, and assured
him that the that he had been told were all gossip; and the
king, who loved Tristram and Isolde, her, and
took them home with him.
But the of the had not yet passed off, had the young
people their love. Whispers again about the court, and
Tristram not call any of the to account, for he knew
that he had the name of knight, and had his
uncle's kindness. Isolde, too, was miserable. They up their
minds that they must part, and as they said farewell, it was with the
fervent that the magic would have its power by the
time they met again.
Tristram away. He through Normandy and Alemannia; he
fought many battles, and a bold, life, but he not
forget Isolde. At last he came to the of Arundel, and there he
found King Jovelin and his son Kaedin in a in a
great forest, from the of who had the land. It
was late in the when he at the house, where he
met with a reception. The of his host, curiously
enough, was also named Isolde, to which was added the of
"la mains." It did him good to be with the and her
father. He promised them his aid, and for this purpose to visit
his own kingdom. There he his presence much wanted, for old Rual
was dead, and all was in the land. His action was to
re-establish order and good government, after which he called out his
troops, and to Arundel to help King Jovelin. He the
robbers there, them out of the land, replaced the king on his
throne, and friends with Kaedin. Weeks passed, and he became
engaged to Isolde of the white hand. He that being married
to another woman would him of his love for the Queen of Cornwall,
and he that the loved him.
His did not him peace. His for the Lady
Isolde no stronger, so in he put off his marriage, and,
unable to a love he did not feel, out to death at the
hands of the that had again the country. He
conquered them, and them to fly. On his return from this
expedition, his marriage day was fixed; but one he was induced
to his friend Kaedin on a adventure, and the
combat to which this led, he a in the breast. He
fell to the ground. Kaedin him out of the fight, and
took him home to the palace, where Isolde succeeded in him to
himself again.
Every one that he would soon from his wound; but instead
of that he worse. One day he said that the Queen of Cornwall had a
remedy that would him, if she only be to it.
Kaedin at once set off for Cornwall to to her compassion. No
sooner had the queen his than she King Mark to let
her go to Arundel, and his nephew. Armed with his permission, she
started on her long by sea and land, and rested till she
arrived at King Jovelin's palace. There she was with the sad
words, "You have come too late-he is dying." They her to his
couch, and she and took his hand. A pressure showed
that he who she was; next moment he opened his eyes, at her
with a sad and look, and then died. She over him and kissed
him, and in that her passed away. They were three
days later under the same grave-mound in the land of Arundel.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: TANNHAUSER BETWEEN ECKHARD AND VENUS.]
_LEGEND OF TANNHAUSER._
