Fierabras (V)

unc au test de la coefe en abatit ou pré

He knocked [a piece] of the coif at the skull down onto the meadow

et des chevoux du chief grant partie rasé

and shaved off a great part of the hair of his head;

Damedex le garda que en char ne l a touché

the Lord God protected him, so that he did not touch him in the flesh.

et li cuens refiert luí par víve postaé

And the count strikes him back with fierce strength;

i esma .i. grant cop sor le heaume jemé

he aimed a great blow at him on the jewelled helmet.

Fierabras voit le cop que il l a asíné

Fierabras sees the blow that he has aimed at him;

Ce que il tínt de l escu a en contre geté

what he held of the shield he has thrown up against it,

que tot a descovert li flanc et li costé

so that he has left his flank and his side all uncovered.

Olivier l apercoit mout l a bien avisié

Oliver notices it, he has marked it very well;

au retraíre le fiert du branc qui est letré

on the backstroke he strikes him with the inscribed blade;

par desor la maímelle li a grant cop doné

he has given him a great blow above the breast.

Li blanc auberc li a desrot et desmaellé

He has torn and broken the mail of his white hauberk;

Le chaval par desoz lia tout detranchié

the horse beneath him he has cut all to pieces.

Li cuens li apoia que li cuer ot íríé

The count pressed on him, for his heart was angry;

Tout i a sa vertu et son branc bien boté

he has put all his strength into it, and thrust his blade well in.

Delez li flanc senestre li a li branc colé

Along the left flank he has slid the blade into him;

Duc enz en mie l eschine l a trachie et copé

right into the middle of the back he has slashed and cut him;

a poi que li boel ne li sunt hors volé

his bowels very nearly flew out.

Mes í n en í ot nus maumis ne emperé

But none of them was harmed or damaged there.

Li sanc a grant foison li ist hors du costé

The blood pours out of his side in great abundance.

Oez de . Fierabras com fut de grant fierté

Hear of Fierabras, how great his pride was.

Contremont vers li ciel a li rois regardé

Up toward the sky the king has looked;

de damedex li membre et de la triníte

he remembers the Lord God and the Trinity,

et du saínt esperit a li cors alumé

and his body is kindled by the Holy Spirit.

Olivier apela merci li a crié

He called to Oliver, he has cried to him for mercy:

Gentix hons de bonhiere ne m ocire por dé

“Noble man of good birth, do not kill me, for God's sake!

Si m en iroi a Karles li fort rois coroné

And I will go to Charlemagne, the mighty crowned king,

et ge ti creanc bien de sor me leauté

and I promise you truly, upon my good faith,

que ge tendroi la foi et la crestienté

that I will hold the faith and Christianity,

et rendroi la corone et li síne aouré

and I will give back the crown and the worshipped sign

et les díves reliques dom i a tel planté

and the holy relics, of which there are so many there.

por coi les pri ge onques chaetif maleuré

Why did I ever take them, wretched, ill-fated man?

honte m en est venue je soi de veríté

Shame has come to me from it, I know it truly.

Olivier gentis hons aiez de moi pitié

Oliver, noble man, have pity on me!

Si ge mer sarrasin il vos iert reprové

If I die a Saracen, it will be held against you.

Ber si tu ne m í tienz ja m í verras versé

Baron, if you do not hold me up, you will soon see me fall here.”

sarrasin les asaillent la pute gent desvee

The Saracens attack them, the vile, mad people,

Mes onques n í forfirent une pome paree

but they never did them harm there worth a peeled apple.

Li amírant apele malpín d aigre moree

The emir calls Malpin of Aigremoree;

N ot si mestre larron j́usqu a la mer betee

there was no such master thief as far as the curdled sea.

Malpín dist l amírant par ma barbe mellee

“Malpin,” said the emir, “by my grizzled beard,

Si sa ceínture avoies a flori. emblee

if you had stolen her girdle from Floripas,

ja puís francois n aroient vers nos nule duree

the French could never again hold out against us at all.

et si tu la m enbloies c est verite provee

And if you steal it for me, it is proven truth,

De mon or ti donraí une grant someree

I will give you a great packhorse-load of my gold.

Tant com la ceínture aient n ert la tor afamee

As long as they have the girdle, the tower will not be starved.”

Sire ce dist li lerre demaín aínz la vespree

“Sire,” said the thief, “tomorrow before evening,

aíncois demaín a l aube que pere la rosee

or rather tomorrow at dawn, when the dew appears,

vos aure la ceínture a la dame lívree

I will have handed over to you the lady's girdle.”

Quant l entent l amirant grant joie a demenee

When the emir hears it, he has made great joy.

Li jor vet a declín et torne la vespree

The day goes into decline and evening comes on.

Que escurol n a chesne en la forest ramee

than a squirrel [climbs] an oak in the leafy forest.

en la tor s en entra caiement a celee

He went into the tower quietly, in secret;

isnelement et tost vínt a la chemínee

swiftly and quickly he came to the hearth;

une chandele a prise au feu l a alumee

he has taken a candle and lit it at the fire;

vínt a l us de la chambre si la trova fermee

he came to the door of the chamber and found it locked,

et il a dit son charme tantost est deffermee

and he has spoken his charm: at once it is unlocked.

Nos francois voit dormant en la sale pavee

He sees our French sleeping in the paved hall;

Si a noz gent li lerre soduíte et enchantee

the thief has beguiled and enchanted our people

que il ne s esveillassent por la tor d or comblee

so that they would not wake for the tower full of gold.

Li cuens Guí de borgoigne a la chier menbree

Count Gui of Burgundy, of the bold face,

ert a une fenestre devers la mer salee

was at a window facing the salt sea,

por veoír li grant ost qui la ert asemblee

to see the great army that was gathered there.

et li lerres ne fist plus longue demoree

And the thief made no longer delay;

vient au lit floripas qu ert plus bele que fee

he comes to the bed of Floripas, who was fairer than a fairy.

Tant a quís la ceínture que il l avoit trovee

He searched for the girdle until he had found it;

environ luí la ceínt par la bocle doree

he fastens it around himself by the golden buckle.

floripas regarda qu ert plus bele que fee

He looked at Floripas, who was fairer than a fairy;

O le voudra gesir car forment li agree

he will want to lie with her, for she pleases him greatly.

par les flans la saisit tote nue sachee

He seized her by the sides and dragged her out all naked.

La pucele s esveille en haut s est escriee

The maiden wakes, she has cried out aloud:

Seínte marie dame reíne coronee

“Holy Mary, lady, crowned queen!

Ou estes uos fet elle trop fetes longue estee

Where are you?” she says. “You are staying away too long.”

Ses puceles acorent checune eschevelee

Her maidens run up, each with her hair loose;

Quant voient li larron plus noir d une pevree

when they see the thief, blacker than pepper sauce,

Tote la plus hardie est en fuíe tornee

the boldest of them all has turned to flight.

Li lerre a floripas desoz luí enversee

The thief has thrown Floripas on her back beneath him;

par le míen escient ja l eust vergondee

to my knowledge, he would soon have dishonoured her.

Quant Guíon de borgoigne a la noiz escoutee

When Gui of Burgundy heard the noise,

a la chambre s en vient corant de randonee

he comes running to the chamber at full speed;

il escrie a s amíe tesiez vos bele nee

he cries to his beloved: “Hush, fair lady!”

Quant li lerres l oit du lit saut a volee

When the thief hears him, he leaps from the bed in a bound,

et li dus le ferit o le chief de l espee

and the duke struck him with the end of the sword;

en .íí. moitiez le fent la ceínture est copee

he splits him into two halves; the girdle is cut.

La chandele au larron est adonc anublee

The thief's candle is then put out;

Onc plus l enchantement n ot la dedenz duree

the enchantment lasted no longer in there.

Donc saillent sus li contes de la terre sauvee

Then the counts of the saved land leap up,

et Guí lor a la chose de chief en chief contee

and Gui has told them the matter from beginning to end.