Lanval
Lanval
Narrated for Relaxivity by Jana Elzabeth
Written and produced by Bertie Fraser
Image by Midjourney/Relaxivity
A romantic tail from the mythological times of King Arthur. Sir Lanval is a Knight of the Court of King Camelot. He is brave and good looking, chivalrous, and moral. But the other Knights of the Round Table do not like him. Perhaps his high moral tone irks them. As a result of his unpopularity, Lanval does not share in the rewards handed out by King Arthur. He falls into poverty, and, in despair, secretly leaves the court. On his travels he is wooed by a fairy queen, who gives him her love, and riches. The fairy queen makes one condition - he must not mention her to anyone. When he returns to Camelot, he attracts the eye of Queen Guinevere. He refuses her advances, and she decides to take revenge, making false accusations against him. It is based on the Lai of Lanval by Marie de France.
The original was written in Anglo Norman. Ours is a modern interpretation in easy to understand verse.
The story refers to some grown up themes. We trust you will find the magical and romantic story calming and diverting from the cares of modern life! Sit or lie back, and enjoy the story of a medieval Knight.
The Lai of Lanval
Lanval, a knight of the court of Camelot
Handsome, Brave, one of the best
Not as famed as Gawain or Lancelot
But perhaps more honest.
He was
Envied
by the rest.
Noone doubted that he was good and true
Fierce in war and kind in peace
Generous and open, they all knew
Constant, steady, no caprice
Only one thing he lacked in its entirety
That slippery quality: popularity.
For unfortunately,
His nobility
Made other knights feel
Their moral fragility.
In fact, scheming eyes could not wait
To see him meet some unpleasant fate.
Well, let us begin the story.
Arthur and his knights had spent a while
One summer in the cold city of Carlisle
Up North to fight the troublesome Scots
Who back then were a scrappy lot.
50 days they had fought
The men in kilts
And much blood had spilt
Then the feast of Pentecost came
and they thought
They had time and cause
To pause their war
And pursuit of glory and immortal fame
And to care, instead, for their bodies and souls.
So
Knights on their knees said their prayers
And sung their psalms
Then escorted ladies on their arms
through the fairs
And clamouring crowds
With much celebration,
Festive feasting, and inebriation
Jousting, music, Dancing
Moonlit walks and talks of love
Sweet kisses and entrancing
For noble Knights knew how to woo
Just as well as to pursue.
That summer was meant to be
A time of plenty.
The King was a man of means
And knights were on the receiving end of things.
If a knight wished to be wed
Arthur set him up with a wife
And homestead
Lands for the gentry
Gold and silver aplenty.
For each loyal knight of the table that was round
Some rich gift had to be found.
Save for one.
Lanval received no lady’s hand
Still less a plot of land
No gold
No Silver
No bronze
No cloak of ermine did he don
Lanval alone of all the noble knights
Received
Not a fig
Not a word
Not a nod
He was forgotten
It was more than odd.
And unfortunately
He was falling, falling into penury
For knighthood demands not just arms and might
It takes money, and plenty, to fight the good fight
Horses and grooms don’t lodge for free
And knights can’t turn away the poor and needy
Without loss of name, fame and nobility
Indeed
Their castle halls are often filled
with the grasping and the greedy
And while they’re away fighting wars
Their stewards steal from their stores
Their cooks guzzle down their wine
And servants help themselves to all that is fine
So one summer night in Carlisle
Lanval awoke
In his bed
Alone
And broke.
He who knew no fear
Who in battle engaged any enemy
Sweated and felt queer
He could not face his poverty
He groaned.
Far away from home
In a state of lonely distress
At a moonlit hour, he stood up, and dressed.
The forlorn knight
went to find his horse once fine,
Whose mane had lost its shine
Whose neigh had lost its delight
He saddled him up himself
Mounted, and began to ride
Clattering through the half-deserted streets
Past the sleeping retreats
Of Arthur’s men in temporary lodgings
With chests of rich belongings
Who lied
Beside their one-night brides.
He rode out of the city and along the river
Called Eden
Because its banks are so green and fertile
And after he had ridden a while
And after the summer sun had risen in style
He grew hot, and his old horse began to sweat and quiver
And so he lied down in a field beside the cool river
And fell into a deep deep sleep
He was in no hurry
For once, without worry
And when he opened his eyes
He saw, a heavenly surprise,
Two girls, among the loveliest he had seen
Dressed in purple with white lace
Each with a face
That made him feel alive
Like sprinkles of sweet spring water on his eyes
“Sir Knight,” one girl spoke, “there is a lady who makes no pretence
She is impatient for your attendance
at her side
For if what her heart tells her is right
When she saw you ride
by her pavillion
It was love at first sight.
So come, and on her fair forehead you may set your gaze
We have reason to think you will be amazed.”
Pavilion? He had not seen any structure made by human hands
He had only ridden past green and pleasant lands.
They led him by both hands until
Upon a hill
They came to the lady's tent.
It stood beside an ancient apple tree
Held up by poles of gold and gilded cord
Its sides were made of rich tapestry
Each flap was more than a king could afford
They depicted histories in their scenes
Dido, the Carthaginian Queen
Cleopatra
Semiramis
Zenobia -
And Sheba of Ethiopia.
inside
He found the lady who had summoned him
Her shapely form
Lying on a bed like bud on a branch in may
The cover she had pushed away
To be the cooler, it was sweltering that summer’s day
All she wore was a slip of silk
He could see
Her neck, her arms, her bosom
All as white as milk
Or a lilly
Or the hawthorn flower.
“Lanval,” she said, in a voice lined with velvet power
“Sweet love, you are dear to me, so step forward and sit near to me.
I have heard that you are courtly and true.
Because of you
I have journeyed from my land
I understand
That you are rich in honour, honesty and courage
Though despite these precious gifts
You may require a helping hand.
I have no art
I speak from the heart
I love you
And want to help you.”
And when he heard these words
Love struck him like a spark
And desire set fire to his heart
“Lovely one,” he said.
“Your wish is my command
I will never leave you
I will always believe you
I shall do anything you demand
Foolish or wise
For you
And only you
Anything you say
It is my greatest joy to obey.”
And when she heard that Sir Lanval was ready to give himself to her
She gave herself to him
Her love and her body
Now at last Lanval was progressing!
And when they had done with their caressing
She offered him another gift:
Anything he might need, no matter what the expense
From henceforth
Make no mistaking
It was his for the taking.
He only had to say
And she would send it his way.
“Do not doubt what I have told you.
My word is as good as gold for you.
No more need to be poor.
So long as you stay true to me
Wealthy, you shall always be”
He thanked her kindly, as you might expect
In one whose manners were so perfect.
But then she added one condition
“You must obey this, my command, or suffer the perdition
Of losing me,
My love
My body
And never again will you enjoy my generosity
If one word of our union slips from your lips
Your sorrow will follow swiftly on the morrow.
Mention me, and I’ll be lost to you, you’ll see.
And this is what I truly think:
Your fortunes, once more, will sink.
But my love, there is no need to fret
So long as this one stipulation
You do not forget.”
And when he understood what she wanted
He was quite undaunted.
Sir Lanval did not hesitate to agree
To swear an oath of total secrecy.
And then he closed his eyes
And he would have lied by his lover’s side
For many blissful hours
But instead
She ordered him out of bed
“You can’t stay here,” she said.
The maids came with water and robes
And washed and dressed him in the richest clothes
Then the lovers sat down to dine on fine dishes
And between the dishes
The sweetest kisses.
After dinner, the maids brought him his own horse
Watered, rested and restored to health.
“Lover,” said his lady. “Any time you miss
My conversation or my kiss
Call me, and say my secret name - which she told him -
And I shall come
Instantly
Invisibly
Save to you
My love who is true.”
So, Sir Lanval
More content than he had ever felt
The picture of confidence and wealth
Was ready to begin
His journey to the nearest inn.
And on his arrival
Before he took his rest
He paid for food and drink for all the guests.
And thereafter, wherever he went
He freely spent
And no one knew who was this handsome man
Who did not stint
To pay a jailed knight’s ransom
Or to clothe a juggler who was skint.
And no one knew that
It was his secret delight
To call his fairy lover each and every night.
And far as anyway knew
He was alone in his life
And had no lover
Nor a wife.
It was sometime past midsummer’s day
When Sir Lanval was on his way
Little did he know that a lady’s eye
Spied on him as he rode by
She was hidden, but near
In a tower up on high
Her name, was Queen Guinevere
And not so long after, when the days were still hot
Perhaps by chance
But maybe not
Sir Lanval met Sir Gwain in the inn
Sir Gwain greeted him
With open arms
And did not lack for charm
“Sir, we have missed your presence at my uncle’s court
if there was anything we ought
To have done for you.
Please accept my apology.
It is my feeling we may have wronged you.
It pains me.
I feel the deepest regret.
Believe me.
Sir Lanval.
We did not mean to forget you.”
Generous was the nature of Lanval
And freely, of his own will
Perhaps more than he ought
He found it easy to forgive.
So he returned to court with Sir Gwain forthwith
And if you care for Sir Lanval’s sake
You might feel that this was
His biggest mistake.
So far….
The following Sunday
When the court was supposedly at prayers
The Queen was giving him stares
And at every chance
She sent him the most artful glance
Her intent
And what she meant
Lanval perceived precisely
But though he liked to treat a lady nicely
There was nothing he might give her
What she wanted,
He could not deliver.
But the more he resisted
The more the queen persisted
Somehow she was always near
To the noble knight whom she found so dear
One day, when he was alone, in an orchard
deep in thought
She found him, and he was caught.
“Lanval,” she said, temptingly.
“When others neglected you
I always respected you
And then,
When you disappeared
The worst I feared
I could not sleep.
I realised my love for you ran deep.
And when thankfully you returned
How my passion sparked and burned!
I am yours for the taking!
Why are you waiting?
This is the season for our love making! “
But though the queen was ready to give her all
Lanval was not at all enthralled.
He was not like other men she had met
For whom adultery was a step they would not regret.
“My queen,” he said.
“I am flattered with all my being.
I am honoured by all you mention
And thank you for your attention
But please understand
I cannot be your man.
For this reason
It would be treason.
I serve your husband
As his knight, loyal and true
And to wrong him
Would be the very worst
I could do.”
“What is this?” exclaimed the queen.
“You resist my kiss?
Your effete manners I held dear
Now I see how far I was mistaken
My love is forsaken
Because….You, Gallant Knight
Are a queer!
“My lady I assure you I am not.” exclaimed Sir Lanval quite shocked
“Your lies cannot disguise it any more.
It’s well understood.
That It’s quite common among the brotherhood.
Oh you hunky knights!
I know how you spend those summer nights!
Now it’s clear why you had to disappear
You went off to enjoy
Your friend
Who is A boy!”
“No no,” pleaded Sir Lanval. “I love another, that much is true. That is why I cannot be with you. “
“Oh now you make me grieve!
Stop this nonsense - This make-believe!
….Or else,
If what you claim is true
Tell me
Who? Who Is she?
This secret lady
Whom you prefer so much to me!
Much beauty must she posses
But her Identity, I cannot guess.”
“Well, since you ask,
She’s a lady whose beauty does surpass
All other women I have seen
And that includes you
My queen.”
“Well now. That was a low blow.
Your good manners, Sir Knight,
are not quite what they seem.”
Though it was his courtly code to be polite
When his blood was up, he was not one to retreat from a fight.
He was far from finished yet.
He had much more to say that he would bitterly regret.
“My lady’s lowliest handmaid
The poorest creature
Of the humblest station
Is more beautifully made
In body, and in face,
And in education
Than you
In fact her whole retinue
Is far exceeding
In manners and in breeding
And In all that is beautiful and true!”
Oh Sir Lanval!
What have you just said?
Not only, have you broken your troth of delicate secrecy
You have all but lost your handsome head.
Surely you should know
That the queen will NEVER let a comment like that go?
She is wounded in this verbal fight
But she knows how to pierce her noble knight
No shining armour will protect you.
From the weapons she shall project at you!
So don’t be taken by surprise
When they start to fly
Those poisoned and pointed lies
This was her track
And her line of attack.
In those dark and mediaeval times
The love of man on man
Was a crime.
And if you were so inclined
Your life was always on the line.
And even if you weren’t
The mere suspicion could get you burnt.
Unless of course you were a lord or a king
Which meant, like now, you could get away with anything.
The queen waited In the bridal room
Where she prepared the most shameless stunt.
She messed up her hair and scratched her own face
She was a right… disgrace.
And when Arthur returned from the hunt
She was crying
She was sick
And the more she was tearful
The more fearful became the king
“Did you fall? Did you hurt yourself my dear?
You can tell me now, I am here.”
Then she spoke a terrible thing.
She was sick
Because a Knight of the Round Table
Had played an ignoble trick.
Sir Lanval had advanced upon her
And when she commanded him to be gone
And reminded him that she was loyal to only one
He broke down in the most queer tears
And sobbed out his heart to the queen
Like a girl of fourteen
And only then
Did he confess
What they all should have guessed
That what what Sir Lanval was really after
At the court of King Arthur
Was men.
King Arthur was outraged!
How could he let Camalot be so defamed
By the love that dare not speak its name!
What would their enemies say?
They would laugh at them all the way
Into battle
So If this crime could be proved
The stain had to be removed!
A court was swiftly convened
And Lanval was brought before it.
There sat the tearful queen
The King
And all his lords
As well as a curious crowd
All there to see Sir Lanval be demeaned.
The accusation was read out loud
Including
All the dirt that Arthur’s spies could find
All the meanest gossip
That appealed to the lowest minds.
And to this, Lanval replied
The only part of this accusation that is true
Are the words that I told the queen
That I faithfully serve
A lady
Who is the loveliest I have ever seen.
And every knight who was there
Well knew that the accusations were unfair
But none of them would dare
To speak in defence of him
When to do so, was to go against the king
Save one
Sir Guain
Who was Arthur’s Brother’s son
“I have always found Sir Lanval to be
A valiant knight
Who has stood firm in many a fight
And who has been
A good friend to me.
But this I do own
He likes to be alone.
And when he stands aloof
Some like to see that as proof.
He thinks that only he is free from sin
And looks down on those around him.
But the mean words that we have heard spoken
Were first meant as a joke
A low attack
A stab
In the back
Of an all round
Good bloke.
But here, today, they are taken seriously as fact.
That can’t be right
Someone needs to take those words back.”
But Sir Gwain’s loyal defence
Only caused the King the greatest offence
“Impudent youth!
It is my wife you accuse
Of playing fast and loose with the truth.
If Lanval’s plea is to be believed
Let him show us the proof.
Where is his lovely lady whom no one else has seen.
Is she some sort of invisible fairy queen? “
Sir Gwain’s keen eyes looked all around
Surely somewhere in this crowd, his friend’s lover could be found?
Whom Sir Lanval was too honourable to name
For to call her, in court, would cause her shame.
And Sir Gwain was soon aware of a suspicous pair
Seated side by side,
Like sisters
Their silken finery could not hide
Their
Features and forms
Most pleasing to the eye.
Sir Lanval, he said, nodding toward the two beauties.
Is one of them your love?
No, replied he, I swear by the Lord above,
I’ve not seen them before.
And soon after, two more arrived,
Whose beauty outshone
Not only the first two,
But all the women who were in view
Eclipsing even the queen
And, it could be conceived
Every woman who had ever breathed.
And I must say
No Knight of the round table could keep his eyes away.
And each everyone thought
By God!
There must be
Sir Lanval’s lovely lady
And the sort who were more depraved in mind.
Assumed he kept two of the same kind
But instead
Sir Lanval Shook his head
And denied it.
And Arthur
Conscious that his impatient queen
Was restless for justice to be seen
Called on his lords for a guilty verdict
For he thought his case was won.
But the expression on Sir Lanval’s face
Was far from the picture of disgrace
His lips turned up and his eyes shone
For he had spotted his beloved one!
Just in the nick of time she had arrived,
an arabian horse she did ride.
The whole town upon her gazed
And each and everyone was amazed
by her beauty
And her silken finery.
Even the angry king was completely charmed
And all his army was quite disarmed.
Your Majesty, Declared she
I have come to prove your prisoner not guilty!
He never spoke an untrue thing
And has always remained loyal to his king.
Only in one way has he strayed
When he mentioned me, he broke his oath of sacred secrecy
I am the one he has betrayed.
And Sir Lanval fell to his knees and begged his lady please
to forgive.
As Long as he lived
For all his days
He would regret that brash boast that he had made.
“Lanval,’ said she.
I gave you fair warning.
If you mentioned one word of me
Retribution would come for you quite swiftly
And it must be said
You almost lost your head.
The Jealous Queen got you by the throat
And your comrade knights
Wanted you as their scapegoat.
For every act they have accused you of
They are ten times more guilty
And their greatest sin I see
Is Rank, Stinking Hypocrisy!”
And when I look around this court full of men whom I detest
I still see that you are far better than the rest
So, Lanval, my love,
Mount your horse and follow me.
For I have come to rescue thee.