Part 4 (1/2)
Then the fox said, ”Know you not where Crekinpit floweth?”
”Yes,” said the hare, ”I have known it any time these dozen years; it runneth in a wood called Hustreloe, upon a vast and wide wilderness.”
”Well,” said the fox, ”you have spoken sufficiently; go to your place again;” so away went the hare.
Then said the fox, ”My sovereign Lord the King, what say you now to my relation; am I worthy your belief or no?”
[Ill.u.s.tration: REYNARD BRINGS FORWARD THE HARE AS HIS WITNESS.]
The King said, ”Yes, Reynard, and I beseech thee excuse my jealousies; it was my ignorance which did thee evil; therefore forthwith make preparation that we may go to this pit where the treasure lieth.”
But the fox answered that he could not go with his Majesty without dishonour; for that at present he was under excommunication, and that it was necessary that he should go to Rome to be absolved, and that from thence he intended to travel in the Holy Land. ”The course you propose is good,”
said the King; ”go on and prosper in your intent.”
Then the King mounted on a rock, and addressing his subjects, told them how that, for divers reasons best known to himself, he had freely given pardon to Reynard, who had cast his wickedness behind him, and would no more be guilty of wrongdoing; and furthermore, he commanded them all to reverence and honour not only Reynard, but also his wife and children. At this, Isegrim the Wolf and Bruin the Bear inveighed against the fox in such an unseemly way, that his Majesty caused them both to be arrested for high treason.
Now when the fox saw this, he begged of the Queen that he might have so much of the bear's skin as would make him a large scrip for his journey; and also the skin of the wolf's feet for a pair of shoes, because of the stony ways he would have to pa.s.s over. To this the Queen consented, and Reynard saw his orders executed.
The next morning Reynard caused his new shoes to be well oiled, and made them fit his feet as tightly as they had fitted the wolf's. And the King commanded Bellin the Ram to say ma.s.s before the fox; and when he had sung ma.s.s and used many ceremonies over the fox, he hung about Reynard's neck his rosary of beads, and gave him into his hands a palmer's staff.
Then the King took leave of him, and commanded all that were about him, except the bear and the wolf, to attend Reynard some part of his journey. Oh! he that had seen how gallant and personable Reynard was, and how well his staff and his mail became him, as also how fit his shoes were for his feet, it could not have chosen but have stirred in him very much laughter. But when they had got onward on their way, the fox entreated all the beasts to return and pray for him, and only begged of Bellin the Ram and Kyward the Hare that they would accompany him as far as Malepardus.
Thus marched these tree together; and when Reynard was come to the gates of his own house, he said to Bellin, ”Cousin, I will entreat you to stay here without a little, whilst I and Kyward go in.” Bellin was well content; and so the fox and the hare went into Malepardus, where they found Dame Ermelin lying on the ground with her younglings about her, who had sorrowed exceedingly for the loss and danger of her husband; but when she saw his return, her joy was ten times doubled.
But beholding his mail, his staff, and his shoes, she grew into great admiration, and said, ”Dear husband, how have you fared?” so he told all that had pa.s.sed with him at the King's court, as well his danger as his release, and that now he was to go a pilgrimage. As for Kyward, he said the King had bestowed him upon them, to do with him what they pleased, affirming that Kyward was the first that had complained of him, for which, questionless, he vowed to be sharply revenged.
[Ill.u.s.tration: REYNARD ON HIS PILGRIMAGE TO ROME.]
When Kyward heard these words, he was much appalled, and would fain have fled away; but he could not, for the fox had got between him and the gate; who presently seized the hare by the neck, at which the hare cried unto Bellin for help, but could not be heard, for the fox in a trice had torn out his throat; which done, he, his wife, and young ones feasted therewith merrily, eating the flesh, and drinking to the King's health.
All this while stood Bellin the Ram at the gate, and grew exceeding angry both against the fox and the hare, that they made him wait so long; and therefore called out aloud for Reynard to come away, which when Reynard heard, he went forth, and said softly to the ram, ”Good Bellin, be not offended for Kyward is in earnest conference with his dearest aunt, and entreated me to say unto you, that if you would please to walk before he would speedily overtake you, for he is light of foot and speedier than you: nor will his aunt part with him thus suddenly, for she and her children are much perplexed at my departure.”
”Ay, but,” quoth Bellin, ”methought I heard Kyward cry for help.”
”How, cry for help? can you imagine he shall receive hurt in my house? far be such a thought from you; but I will tell you the reason. As soon as we were come into my house, and that Ermelin my wife understood of my pilgrimage, presently she fell down in a swoon, which when Kyward saw, he cried aloud, 'O Bellin come, help my aunt, she dies, she dies!'”
Then said the ram: ”In sadness I mistook the cry, and thought the hare had been in danger.”
”It was your too much care of him,” said the fox. ”But, letting this discourse pa.s.s, you remember, Bellin, that yesterday the King and his council commanded me that, before I departed from the land, I should send unto him two letters, which I have made ready, and will entreat you, my dearest cousin, to bear them to his Majesty.”
The ram answered: ”I would willingly do you the service if there be nothing but honourable matter contained in your letters; but I am unprovided of any thing to carry them in.”
The fox said: ”That is provided for you already, for you shall have my mail, which you may conveniently hang about your neck; I know they will be thankfully received of his Majesty, for they contain matter of great importance.”
Then Bellin promised to carry them. So the fox returned into his house, and took the mail, and put therein the head of Kyward, and brought it to the ram, and gave him a great charge not to look therein till it was presented to the King, as he did expect the King's favour; and that he might further endear himself with his Majesty, he bade the ram take upon him the inditing of the letters, ”which will be so pleasing to the King, that questionless he will pour upon you many favours.”
This said, Bellin took leave of the fox and went toward the court, in which journey he made such speed, that he came thither before noon, where he found the King in his palace sitting amongst the n.o.bility.
The King wondered when he saw the ram come in with the mail which was made of the bear's skin, and said: ”Whence comest thou, Bellin, and where is the fox, that you have that mail about you?”
Bellin answered: ”My dread Lord, I attended the n.o.ble fox to his house, where, after some repose, he desired me to bear certain letters to your Majesty of infinite great importance, to which I easily consented. Wherefore he delivered me the letters enclosed in this mail, which letters I myself indited, and I doubt not but they are such as will give your highness both contentment and satisfaction.” Presently the King commanded the letters to be delivered to Bocart, his secretary, who was an excellent linguist and understood all languages, that he might read them publicly; so that he and Tibert the Cat took the mail from Bellin's neck, and opening the same, instead of letters they drew out the head of Kyward the Hare, at which being amazed, they said: ”Wo and alas, what letters call you these? Believe it, my dread Lord, here is nothing but the head of poor murdered Kyward.”