A Shrewd Token and a Sign of Harm.

 

Capitulo ix. The complaint of the Bear upon the Fox.

I complain to you
merciful lord
sire King
so as you may see how
that I am handled
praying you t'avenge
it upon Reynard the fell beast
for I have gotten this in your service
I have lost both my foremost feet
my cheeks and my ears
by his false deceit and treason

the King said

how dare this false thief Reynard do this?
I say to you Bruyn
and swear by my crown
I shall so avenge you on him
that you shall me thank

he sent for all the wise beasts
and desired counsel
how that he might avenge this over great wrong
that the Fox had done
then the counsel concluded
old and young
that he should be sent for and dayed earnestly again
for to bide such judgement as should there be given on him
of all his trespasses
and they thought that the cat Tybert 
might best do this message if he would
for he is right wise
the King thought this counsel good

Capitulo x. How the King sent another time Tybert the Cat for the Fox, and how Tybert sped with Reynard the Fox.

Then the King said

Sir Tybert
you shall now go to Reynard
and say to him this second time
that he come to court 
unto the plea for to answer
for though he be fell to other beasts
he trusts you well
and shall do by your counsel
and tell
if he come not
he shall have the third warning
and be dayed
and if he then come not
we shall proceed by right against him
and all his lineage
without mercy

Tybert spake

my lord the King
they that this counselled you
were not my friend
what shall I do there?
he will not for me neither come nor abide
I beseech you
dear King
send some other to him
I am little and feeble
Bruyn the Bear which was so great and strong
could not bring him
how should I then take it in hand?

nay

said
the King

sir Tybert
you are wise and well learned
though you be not great
there lie not on
many do more with craft and cunning
than with might and strength

then

said
the Cat

since it must need be done
I must then take it upon me
God give grace
that I may well achieve it
for my heart is heavy and evil willed thereto

Tybert made him soon ready
toward Maleperduys
and he saw from far come flying
one of Saint Martin's Birds
then cried he loud 
and said

all hail
gentle Bird
turn thy wings hitherward
and fly on my right side

the Bird flew forth
upon a tree which stood 
on the left side of the Cat
then was Tybert woe
for he thought it was a shrewd token
and a sign of harm
for if the Bird had flown on jis right side
he had been merry and glad
but now he sorrowed that his journey
should turn to unhap
nevertherless he did as many do
and gave himself better hope
than his heart said
he went and ran to Maleperduysward
and there he found the Fox alone 
standing before his house

Tybert
said

the rich God give you good even
Reynard
the King has menaced you
for to take your life from you
if you come not now with me to the court

the Fox 
the spake
and said

Tybert
my dear cousin
you be right welcome
I would well truly
that you had much good luck

what hurted the Fox to speak fair
though he said well
his heart thought it not
and that shall be seen ere they depart

Reynard
said

will we this night be together
I will make you good cheer 
and tomorrow early in the dawning
we will together go to the court
good nephew
let us so do
I have none of my kin
that I trust so much as to you
here was Bruyn the Bear
the traitor
he looked so shrewdly on one
and me thought he was so strong
that I would not for a thousand mark
have gone with him
but cousin
I will tomorrow early go with you

Tybert
said

it is best 
that we now go
for the Moon shines all so light
as if it were day
I never saw fairer weather

nay
dear cousin
such might meet us by daytime
that would make us good cheer
and by night peradventure might do us harm
it is suspicious to walk by night
therefore abide this night here by me

Tybert
said

what should we eat
if we abide here?

Reynard
said

here is but little to eat
you may well have a honeycomb
good and sweet
what say you Tybert?
will you any thereof?

Tybert
answered

I set nought thereby
have you nothing else?
if you give me a good fat mouse
I should be better pleased

a fat mouse

said
Reynard

dear cousin
what say you?
hereby dwells a priest
and has a barn by his house
therein are so many mice
that a man should not lead them away
on a wain
I have heard the priest
many times complain
that they did him much harm

O dear Reynard
lead me thither for all
that I may do for you

yea Tybert
say you me truth?
love you well mice?

if I love them well

said 
the Cat

I love mice better
than anything that men give me
know you not that mice savour better than venison
yea than pancakes or pasties
will you well do
so lead me thither where the mice be
and then shall you win my love
yea, even had you slain 
my father, mother and all my kin

Reynard
said

you mock and jape
therewith

the Cat
said

so help me God
I do not

Tybert

said
the Fox

wist I that verily
I would yet this night make
that you should be full of mice

Reynard

said
he

full!
that were many

Tybert you jape

Reynard
said he

in truth
I do not
if I had a fat mouse
I wold not give it 
for a golden noble

let us go then Tybert
I will bring you to the place

ere I go from you
Reynard?

said 
the Fox

upon your safe conduct
I would well go with you to Montpelier
let us then go
we tarry too long

thus went they forth without letting
to the place
where as they would be
to the priest's barn
which was fast walled about
with a brick wall
and the night before the Fox had broken in
and stolen from the priest a good fat hen
and the priest all angry had set a trap
before the hole to avenge him
for he would fain take the Fox
this knew well the fell thief the Fox
and said

sir Tybert
cousin
creep into this hole
and you shall not long tarry
but that you shall catch mice
by great heaps
hark how they pipe
when you be full
come again
I will tarry here after you
before this hole
we will tomorrow go together to the court
Tybert
why tarry you thus long?
come off
and so may we return soon to my wife
who waits after us
and make us good cheer

Tybert 
said

Reynard
cousin
it it then your counsel 
that I go in this hole?
this priest is so wily and shrewish
I dread to take harm

O ho Tybert

said
the Fox

I saw you never so sore afraid
what ails you?

the Cat was ashamed
and sprang in to the hole
and anon he was caught in the snare
by the neck ere he wist
thus deceived Reynard his guest and cousin

as Tybert was caught in the snare
he was afraid and sprang forth
the snare went too
then began he to rage
for he was almost strangled
he called and cried
and made a shrewd noise
Reynard stood before the hole
and heard all
and was well paid
and said

Tybert
love you well mice?
be they fat and good?
knew the priest hereof
and Martinet
they be so gentle
that they would bring you sauce
Tybert
you sing and eat
is that the guise of the court?
if Ysegrym were there by you
in such rest as you now be
then should I be glad
for oft he has done me scathe and harm

Tybert could not go away
but he mawed and gulped so loud
that Martinet sprang up
and cried loud

God be thanked!
my snare has taken the thief
that has stolen our hens
arse up
we will reward him

with these words
arose the priest in an evil time
and waked all them that were in the house
and cried with a loud voice

the fox is taken!

there leapt and ran all that there was
the priest himself ran all mother-naked
Martinet was the first that came to Tybert
the priest took to look for his wife an offering candle
and bade her light it at the fire
and he smote Tybert with a great staff
there received Tybert many a great stroke
over all his body
Martinet was so angry
that he smote the Cat an eye out
the naked priest lift up and should have given a great stroke to Tybert
but Tybert saw he must die
sprang between the priest's legs 
with his claws and with his teeth
so that leap became ill to the priest
and to his great shame

when dame Julock knew that
she swore by her father's soul
that she would it had cost her 
all the offering of a whole year
that the priest had not had harm
hurt and shame
and that it had not happed
and said

in the devil's name
was trap there set
see Martinet
lief son
this is a great shame and a great hurt
though he be healed hereof

the Fox stood without before the hole
and heard all these words
and laughed so sore that he hardly could stand
he spake thus all softly

dame Julock
be all still
and let your great sorrow sink
he shall do well enough
there is in the world many a chapel
in which is rung but one bell

thus scorned and mocked the Fox 
the priest's wife dame Julock
that was full of sorrow
the priest fell down a swoon
they took him up and brought him again to bed
then went the Fox again into his boroughward
and left Tybert the Cat in great dread and jeopardy
for the Fox wist none other 
but that the Cat was nigh dead
but when the Cat saw them all busy about the priest
then began he to bite and gnaw the snare in the middle asunder
and sprang out of the hole and went rolling
and went towards the King's court

he came thither
it was a fair day
and the sun began to rise
and he came to the court
as a poor wight
he had caught harm at the priest's house
by the help and counsel of the Fox
his body was all beaten and blind in the one eye
when the King wist this 
that Tybert was thus arrayed
he was sore angry and menaced Reynard the thief sore
and anon gathered his council
to wit what they would advise him 
how he might bring the Fox to the law
and how he should be set

then spake sir Grymert
who was the Fox's sister's son
and said

you lords
though mine uncle were twice so bad and shrewish
yet is there remedy enough
let him be done to as a free man
when he shall be judged
he must be warned the third time for all
and if he come not
then is he guilty in all the trespasses laid against him and his
or complained of

Grymbert
who would you that should go and daye him to come?
who will adventure for him his ears, his eye or his life?
which is so fell a beast?
I believe there is none here so much a fool

Grymbert spake

so help me God
I am so much a fool
that I will do this message myself to Reynard
if you will command me