Books: Legends of Charlemagne
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Thomas Bulfinch >> Legends of Charlemagne
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Charlemagne's displeasure did not last long, and, at the time our
history commences, Rinaldo and his brothers were completely
restored to the favor of the Emperor, and none of his cavaliers
served him with greater zeal and fidelity than they, throughout
all his wars with the Saracens and Pagans.
THE TOURNAMENT
It was the month of May, and the feast of Pentecost. Charlemagne
had ordered magnificent festivities, and summoned to them, besides
his paladins and vassals of the crown, all strangers, Christian or
Saracen, then sojourning at Paris. Among the guests were King
Grandonio, from Spain; and Ferrau, the Saracen, with eyes like an
eagle; Orlando and Rinaldo, the Emperor's nephews; Duke Namo;
Astolpho, of England, the handsomest man living; Malagigi, the
Enchanter; and Gano, of Maganza, that wily traitor, who had the
art to make the Emperor think he loved him, while he plotted
against him.
High sat Charlemagne at the head of his vassals and his paladins,
rejoicing in the thought of their number and their might, while
all were sitting and hearing music, and feasting, when suddenly
there came into the hall four enormous giants, having between them
a lady of incomparable beauty, attended by a single knight. There
were many ladies present who had seemed beautiful till she made
her appearance, but after that they all seemed nothing. Every
Christian knight turned his eyes to her, and every Pagan crowded
round her, while she, with a sweetness that might have touched a
heart of stone, thus addressed the Emperor:
"High-minded lord, the renown of your worthiness, and of the valor
of these your knights, which echoes from sea to sea, encourages me
to hope that two pilgrims, who have come from the ends of the
world to behold you, will not have encountered their fatigue in
vain. And, before I show the motive which has brought us hither,
learn that this knight is my brother Uberto, and that I am his
sister Angelica. Fame has told us of the jousting this day
appointed, and so the prince my brother has come to prove his
valor, and to say that, if any of the knights here assembled
choose to meet him in the joust, he will encounter them, one by
one, at the stair of Merlin, by the Fountain of the Pine. And his
conditions are these: No knight who chances to be thrown shall be
allowed to renew the combat, but shall remain prisoner to my
brother; but if my brother be overthrown he shall depart out of
the country, leaving me as the prize of the conqueror."
Now it must be stated that this Angelica and her brother, who
called himself Uberto, but whose real name was Argalia, were the
children of Galafron, king of Cathay, who had sent them to be the
destruction of the Christian host; for Argalia was armed with an
enchanted lance, which unfailingly overthrew everything it
touched, and he was mounted on a horse, a creature of magic, whose
swiftness outstripped the wind. Angelica possessed also a ring
which was a defence against all enchantments, and when put into
the mouth rendered the bearer invisible. Thus Argalia was expected
to subdue and take prisoners whatever knights should dare to
encounter him; and the charms of Angelica were relied on to entice
the paladins to make the fatal venture, while her ring would
afford her easy means of escape.
When Angelica ceased sneaking she knelt before the king and
awaited his answer, and everybody gazed on her with admiration.
Orlando especially felt irresistibly drawn towards her, so that he
trembled and changed countenance. Every knight in the hall was
infected with the same feeling, not excepting old white-headed
Duke Namo and Charlemagne himself.
All stood for a while in silence, lost in the delight of looking
at her. The fiery youth Ferrau could hardly restrain himself from
seizing her from the giants and carrying her away; Rinaldo turned
as red as fire, while Malagigi, who had discovered by his art that
the stranger was not speaking truth, muttered softly, as he looked
at her, "Exquisite false creature! I will play thee such a trick
for this, as will leave thee no cause to boast of thy visit."
Charlemagne, to detain her as long as possible before him, delayed
his assent till he had asked her a number of questions, all which
she answered discreetly, and then the challenge was accepted.
As soon as she was gone Malagigi consulted his book, and found out
the whole plot of the vile, infidel king, Galafron, as we have
explained it, so he determined to seek the damsel and frustrate
her designs. He hastened to the appointed spot, and there found
the prince and his sister in a beautiful pavilion, where they lay
asleep, while the four giants kept watch. Malagigi took his book
and cast a spell out of it, and immediately the four giants fell
into a deep sleep. Drawing his sword (for he was a belted knight),
he softly approached the young lady, intending to despatch her at
once; but, seeing her look so lovely, he paused for a moment,
thinking there was no need of hurry, as he believed his spell was
upon her, and she could not wake. But the ring which she wore
secured her from the effect of the spell, and some slight noise,
or whatever else it was, caused her at that moment to awake. She
uttered a great cry, and flew to her brother, and waked him. By
the help of her knowledge of enchantment, they took and bound fast
the magician, and, seizing his book, turned his arts against
himself. Then they summoned a crowd of demons, and bade them seize
their prisoner and bear him to King Galafron, at his great city of
Albracca, which they did, and, on his arrival, he was locked up in
a rock under the sea.
While these things were going on all was uproar at Paris, since
Orlando insisted upon being the first to try the adventure at the
stair of Merlin. This was resented by the other pretenders to
Angelica, and all contested his right to the precedence. The
tumult was stilled by the usual expedient of drawing lots, and the
first prize was drawn by Astolpho. Ferrau, the Saracen, had the
second, and Grandonio the third. Next came Berlinghieri, and Otho;
then Charles himself, and, as his ill-fortune would have it, after
thirty more, the indignant Orlando.
Astolpho, who drew the first lot, was handsome, brave, and rich.
But, whether from heedlessness or want of skill, he was an unlucky
jouster, and very apt to be thrown, an accident which he bore with
perfect good-humor, always ready to mount again and try to mend
his fortune, generally with no better success.
Astolpho went forth upon his adventure with great gayety of dress
and manner, encountered Argalia, and was immediately tilted out of
the saddle. He railed at fortune, to whom he laid all the fault;
but his painful feelings were somewhat relieved by the kindness of
Angelica, who, touched by his youth and good looks, granted him
the liberty of the pavilion, and caused him to be treated with all
kindness and respect.
The violent Ferrau had the next chance in the encounter, and was
thrown no less speedily than Astolpho; but he did not so easily
put up with his mischance. Crying out, "What are the emperor's
engagements to me?" he rushed with his sword against Argalia, who,
being forced to defend himself, dismounted and drew his sword, but
got so much the worse of the fight that he made a signal of
surrender, and, after some words, listened to a proposal of
marriage from Ferrau to his sister. The beauty, however, feeling
no inclination to match with such a rough and savage-looking
person, was so dismayed at the offer, that, hastily bidding her
brother to meet her in the forest of Arden, she vanished from the
sight of both by means of the enchanted ring. Argalia, seeing
this, took to his horse of swiftness, and dashed away in the same
direction. Ferrau pursued him, and Astolpho, thus left to himself,
took possession of the enchanted lance in place of his own, which
was broken, not knowing the treasure he possessed in it, and
returned to the tournament. Charlemagne, finding the lady and her
brother gone, ordered the jousting to proceed as at first
intended, in which Astolpho, by aid of the enchanted lance,
unhorsed all comers against him, equally to their astonishment and
his own.
The paladin Rinaldo, on learning the issue of the combat of Ferrau
and the stranger, galloped after the fair fugitive in an agony of
love and impatience. Orlando, perceiving his disappearance, pushed
forth in like manner; and, at length, all three are in the forest
of Arden, hunting about for her who is invisible.
Now in this forest there were two fountains, the one constructed
by the sage Merlin, who designed it for Tristram and the fair
Isoude; [Footnote: See their story in "King Arthur and His
Knights."] for such was the virtue of this fountain, that a
draught of its waters produced on oblivion of the love which the
drinker might feel, and even produced aversion for the object
formerly beloved. The other fountain was endowed with exactly
opposite qualities, and a draught of it inspired love for the
first living object that was seen after tasting it. Rinaldo
happened to come to the first mentioned fountain, and, being
flushed with heat, dismounted, and quenched in one draught both
his thirst and his passion. So far from loving Angelica as before
he hated her from the bottom of his heart, became disgusted with
the search he was upon, and, feeling fatigued with his ride,
finding a sheltered and flowery nook, laid himself down and fell
asleep.
Shortly after came Angelica, but, approaching in a different
direction, she espied the other fountain, and there quenched her
thirst. Then resuming her way, she came upon the sleeping Rinaldo.
Love instantly seized her, and she stood rooted to the spot.
The meadow round was all full of lilies of the valley and wild
roses. Angelica, not knowing what to do, at length plucked a
handful of these, and dropped them, one by one, on the face of the
sleeper. He woke up, and, seeing who it was, received her
salutations with averted countenance, remounted his horse, and
galloped away. In vain the beautiful creature followed and called
after him, in vain asked him what she had done to be so despised.
Rinaldo disappeared, leaving her in despair, and she returned in
tears to the spot where she had found him sleeping. There, in her
turn, she herself lay down, pressing the spot of earth on which he
had lain, and, out of fatigue and sorrow, fell asleep.
As Angelica thus lay, fortune conducted Orlando to the same place.
The attitude in which she was sleeping was so lovely that it is
not to be conceived, much less expressed. Orlando stood gazing
like a man who had been transported to another sphere. "Am I on
earth," he exclaimed, "or am I in Paradise? Surely it is I that
sleep, and this is my dream."
But his dream was proved to be none in a manner which he little
desired. Ferrau, who had slain Argalia, came up, raging with
jealousy, and a combat ensued which awoke the sleeper.
Terrified at what she beheld, she rushed to her palfrey, and,
while the fighters were occupied with one another, fled away
through the forest. The champions continued their fight till they
were interrupted by a messenger, who brought word to Ferrau that
king Marsilius, his sovereign, was in pressing need of his
assistance, and conjured him to return to Spain. Ferrau, upon
this, proposed to suspend the combat, to which Orlando, eager to
pursue Angelica, agreed. Ferrau, on the other hand, departed with
the messenger to Spain.
Orlando's quest for the fair fugitive was all in vain. Aided by
the powers of magic, she made a speedy return to her own country.
But the thought of Rinaldo could not be banished from her mind,
and she determined to set Malagigi at liberty, and to employ him
to win Rinaldo, if possible, to make her a return of affection.
She accordingly freed him from his dungeon, unlocking his fetters
with her own hands, and restored him his book, promising him ample
honors and rewards on condition of his bringing Rinaldo to her
feet.
Malagigi accordingly, with the aid of his book, called up a demon,
mounted him, and departed. Arrived at his destination, he
inveigled Rinaldo into an enchanted bark, which conveyed him,
without any visible pilot, to an island where stood an edifice
called Joyous Castle. The whole island was a garden. On the
western side, close to the sea, was the palace, built of marble,
so clear and polished that it reflected the landscape about it.
Rinaldo leapt ashore, and soon met a lady, who invited him to
enter. The house was as beautiful within as without, full of rooms
adorned with azure and gold, and with noble paintings. The lady
led the knight into an apartment painted with stories, and opening
to the garden, through pillars of crystal, with golden capitals.
Here he found a bevy of ladies, three of whom were singing in
concert, while another played on an instrument of exquisite
accord, and the rest danced round about them. When the ladies
beheld him coming they turned the dance into a circuit round him,
and then one of them, in the sweetest manner, said, "Sir knight,
the tables are set, and the hour for the banquet is come;" and,
with these words, still dancing, they drew him across the lawn in
front of the apartment, to a table that was spread with cloth of
gold and fine linen, under a bower of damask roses by the side of
a fountain.
Four ladies were already seated there, who rose, and placed
Rinaldo at their head, in a chair set with pearls. And truly
indeed was he astonished. A repast ensued, consisting of viands
the most delicate, and wines as fragrant as they were fine, drunk
out of jewelled cups; and, when it drew towards its conclusion,
harps and lutes were heard in the distance, and one of the ladies
said in the knight's ear: "This house and all that you see in it
are yours; for you alone was it built, and the builder is a queen.
Happy indeed must you think yourself, for she loves you, and she
is the greatest beauty in the world! Her name is Angelica."
The moment Rinaldo heard the name he so detested he started up,
with a changed countenance, and, in spite of all that the lady
could say, broke off across the garden, and never ceased hastening
till he reached the place where he landed. The bark was still on
the shore. He sprang into it, and pushed off, though he saw nobody
in it but himself. It was in vain for him to try to control its
movements, for it dashed on as if in fury, till it reached a
distant shore covered with a gloomy forest. Here Rinaldo,
surrounded by enchantments of a very different sort from those
which he had lately resisted, was entrapped into a pit.
The pit belonged to a castle called Altaripa, which was hung with
human heads, and painted red with blood. As the paladin was
viewing the scene with amazement a hideous old woman made her
appearance at the edge of the pit, and told him that he was
destined to be thrown to a monster, who was only kept from
devastating the whole country by being supplied with living human
flesh. Rinaldo said, "Be it so; let me but remain armed as I am,
and I fear nothing." The old woman laughed in derision. Rinaldo
remained in the pit all night, and the next morning was taken to
the place where the monster had his den. It was a court surrounded
by a high wall. Rinaldo was shut in with the beast, and a terrible
combat ensued. Rinaldo was unable to make any impression on the
scales of the monster, while he, on the contrary, with his
dreadful claws, tore away plate and mail from the paladin. Rinaldo
began to think his last hour was come, and cast his eyes around
and above to see if there was any means of escape. He perceived a
beam projecting from the wall at the height of some ten feet, and,
taking a leap almost miraculous, he succeeded in reaching it, and
in flinging himself up across it. Here he sat for hours, the
hideous brute continually trying to reach him. All at once he
heard the sound of something coming through the air like a bird,
and suddenly Angelica herself alighted on the end of the beam. She
held something in her hand towards him, and spoke to him in a
loving voice. But the moment Rinaldo saw her he commanded her to
go away, refused all her offers of assistance, and at length
declared that, if she did not leave him, he would cast himself
down to the monster, and meet his fate.
Angelica, saying she would lose her life rather than displease
him, departed; but first she threw to the monster a cake of wax
she had prepared, and spread around him a rope knotted with
nooses. The beast took the bait, and, finding his teeth glued
together by the wax, vented his fury in bounds and leaps, and,
soon getting entangled in the nooses, drew them tight by his
struggles, so that he could scarcely move a limb.
Rinaldo, watching his chance, leapt down upon his back, seized him
round the neck, and throttled him, not relaxing his gripe till the
beast fell dead.
Another difficulty remained to be overcome. The walls were of
immense height, and the only opening in them was a grated window
of such strength that he could not break the bars. In his distress
Rinaldo found a file, which Angelica had left on the ground, and,
with the help of this, effected his deliverance.
What further adventures he met with will be told in another
chapter.
THE SIEGE OF ALBRACCA
At the very time when Charlemagne was holding his plenary court
and his great tournament his kingdom was invaded by a mighty
monarch, who was moreover so valiant and strong in battle that no
one could stand against him. He was named Gradasso, and his
kingdom was called Sericane. Now, as it often happens to the
greatest and the richest to long for what they cannot have, and
thus to lose what they already possess, this king could not rest
content without Durindana, the sword of Orlando, and Bayard, the
horse of Rinaldo. To obtain these he determined to war upon
France, and for this purpose put in array a mighty army.
He took his way through Spain, and, after defeating Marsilius, the
king of that country, in several battles, was rapidly advancing on
France. Charlemagne, though Marsilius was a Saracen, and had been
his enemy, yet felt it needful to succor him in this extremity
from a consideration of common danger, and, with the consent of
his peers, despatched Rinaldo with a strong body of soldiers
against Gradasso.
There was much fighting, with doubtful results, and Gradasso was
steadily advancing into France. But, impatient to achieve his
objects, he challenged Rinaldo to single combat, to be fought on
foot, and upon these conditions: If Rinaldo conquered, Gradasso
agreed to give up all his prisoners and return to his own country;
but if Gradasso won the day, he was to have Bayard.
The challenge was accepted, and would have been fought had it not
been for the arts of Malagigi, who just then returned from
Angelica's kingdom with set purpose to win Rinaldo to look with
favor upon the fair princess who was dying for love of him.
Malagigi drew Rinaldo away from the army by putting on the
semblance of Gradasso, and, after a short contest, pretending to
fly before him, by which means Rinaldo was induced to follow him
into a boat, in which he was borne away, and entangled in various
adventures, as we have already related.
The army, left under the command of Ricciardetto, Rinaldo's
brother, was soon joined by Charlemagne and all his peerage, but
experienced a disastrous rout, and the Emperor and many of his
paladins were taken prisoners. Gradasso, however, did not abuse
his victory; he took Charles by the hand, seated him by his side,
and told him he warred only for honor. He renounced all conquests,
on condition that the Emperor should deliver to him Bayard and
Durindana, both of them the property of his vassals, the former of
which, as he maintained, was already forfeited to him by Rinaldo's
failure to meet him as agreed. To these terms Charlemagne readily
acceded.
Bayard, after the departure of his master, had been taken in
charge by Ricciardetto, and sent back to Paris, where Astolpho was
in command, in the absence of Charlemagne. Astolpho received with
great indignation the message despatched for Bayard, and replied
by a herald that "he would not surrender the horse of his kinsman
Rinaldo without a contest. If Gradasso wanted the steed he might
come and take him, and that he, Astolpho, was ready to meet him in
the field."
Gradasso was only amused at this answer, for Astolpho's fame as a
successful warrior was not high, and Gradasso willingly renewed
with him the bargain which he had made with Rinaldo. On these
conditions the battle was fought. The enchanted lance, in the
hands of Astolpho, performed a new wonder; and Gradasso, the
terrible Gradasso, was unhorsed.
He kept his word, set free his prisoners, and put his army on the
march to return to his own country, renewing his oath, however,
not to rest till he had taken from Rinaldo his horse, and from
Orlando his sword, or lost his life in the attempt.
Charlemagne, full of gratitude to Astolpho, would have kept him
near his person and loaded him with honors, but Astolpho preferred
to seek Rinaldo, with the view of restoring to him his horse, and
departed from Paris with that design.
Our story now returns to Orlando, whom we left fascinated with
the sight of the sleeping beauty, who, however, escaped him while
engaged in the combat with Ferrau. Having long sought her in vain
through the recesses of the wood, he resolved to follow her to her
father's court. Leaving, therefore, the camp of Charlemagne, he
travelled long in the direction of the East, making inquiry
everywhere, if, perchance, he might get tidings of the fugitive.
After many adventures, he arrived one day at a place where many
roads crossed, and meeting there a courier, he asked him for news.
The courier replied that he had been despatched by Angelica to
solicit the aid of Sacripant, king of Circassia, in favor of her
father Galafron, who was besieged in his city, Albracca, by
Agrican, king of Tartary. This Agrican had been an unsuccessful
suitor to the damsel, whom he now pursued with arms. Orlando thus
learned that he was within a day's journey of Albracca; and,
feeling now secure of Angelica, he proceeded with all speed to her
city.
Thus journeying he arrived at a bridge, under which flowed a
foaming river. Here a damsel met him with a goblet, and informed
him that it was the usage of this bridge to present the traveller
with a cup. Orlando accepted the offered cup and drank its
contents. He had no sooner done so than his brain reeled, and he
became unconscious of the object of his journey, and of everything
else. Under the influence of this fascination he followed the
damsel into a magnificent and marvellous palace. Here he found
himself in company with many knights, unknown to him and to each
other, though if it had not been for the Cup of Oblivion of which
they all had partaken they would have found themselves brothers in
arms.
Astolpho, proceeding on his way to seek Rinaldo, splendidly
dressed and equipped, as was his wont, arrived in Circassia, and
found there a great army encamped under the command of Sacripant,
the king of that country, who was leading it to the defence of
Galafron, the father of Angelica. Sacripant, much struck by the
appearance of Astolpho and his horse, accosted him courteously,
and tried to enlist him in his service; but Astolpho, proud of his
late victories, scornfully declined his offers, and pursued his
way. King Sacripant was too much attracted by his appearance to
part with him so easily, and having laid aside his kingly
ornaments, set out in pursuit of him.
Astolpho next day encountered on his way a stranger knight, named
Sir Florismart, Lord of the Sylvan Tower, one of the bravest and
best of knights, having as his guide a damsel, young, fair, and
virtuous, to whom he was tenderly attached, whose name was
Flordelis. Astolpho, as he approached, defied the knight, bidding
him yield the lady, or prepare to maintain his right by arms.
Florismart accepted the contest, and the knights encountered.
Florismart was unhorsed and his steed fell dead, while Bayard
sustained no injury by the shock.
Florismart was so overwhelmed with despair at his own disgrace and
the sight of the damsel's distress, that he drew his sword, and
was about to plunge it into his own bosom. But Astolpho held his
hand, told him that he contended only for glory, and was contented
to leave him the lady.
While Florismart and Flordelis were vowing eternal gratitude King
Sacripant arrived, and coveting the damsel of the one champion as
much as the horse and arms of the other, defied them to the joust.
Astolpho met the challenger, whom he instantly overthrew, and
presented his courser to Florismart, leaving the king to return to
his army on foot.
The friends pursued their route, and ere long Flordelis
discovered, by signs which were known to her, that they were
approaching the waters of Oblivion, and advised them to turn back,
or to change their course. This the knights would not hear of,
and, continuing their march, they soon arrived at the bridge where
Orlando had been taken prisoner.
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