Sir Bartolt with the long fingers.

 

Capitulo viij. How Bruyn ate the honey.

Bruyn

uncle
I supposed ye had japed therewith
so help me God
Reynard
nay, I should not gladly jape with you

Then spake
Red Reynard

is it then earnest
ye love so well the honey?
I shall let you have so much
that ten of you should not eat it
at one meal
might I get therewith your friendship?

ten of me
nephew Reynard?

said the Bear

how should that be?
had I all the honey
between here and Portugal
I should well eat it alone

Reynard said

what say you
uncle
hereby dwells a husbandman
named Lantfert
who has so much honey
you should not eat it in vij. years
which you shall have in your hold
if you will
be to me friendly
and help against my enemies
in the King's court

then promised
Bruyn the Bear
to him
that if he might have his belly full
he would truly be to him before all other
a faithful friend

hereof laughed 
Reynard the shrewd
and said

if you would have a Hamburg barrelful
I shall well get them and help you have them

these words pleased the Bear so well
and made him so much to laugh
he could not well stand

so
thought Reynard
this is good luck
I shall lead him thither
he shall laugh by measure

Reynard
said then

this matter may not long tarry
I must pain myself for you
you shall well understand
the very good will I bear you
I know none in all my lineage
I now would labour for thus sore

thanked him
the Bear
and thought he tarried long

now uncle
let us go a good pace
and follow you me
I shall make you have
as much honey as you may bear

the Fox
meant of good strokes
but the caitiff marked not
what the Fox meant

and went so long together
they came unto Lantfert's yard
then was Sir Bruyn merry
now hark
of Lantfert is it true that men say
so was Lantfert a strong carpenter
of great timber
and had brought that other day before
in his yard a great oak
which he had begun to cleave
and as men be wont
he had smitten two wedges therein
one after the other
in suchwise the oak was wide open
whereof Reynard was glad
for he had found it right as he wished
and said to the Bear all laughing

see now
well sharply too
in this tree is so much honey
that it is without measure
assay if you can come therein
and eat but little
for though the honeycombs be sweet and good
yet beware you eat not too many
but take of them by measure
that you catch no harm in your body
for
sweet uncle
I should be blamed if they did you any harm

what
Reynard cousin
sorrow you not for me
think you I'm a fool?
measure is good in all meat

Reynard said

you say truth
wherefore should I sorrow?
go tuck in and creep therein

Bruyn the Bear hastened sore
toward the honey
and trod in with his two foremost feet
and put his head over his ears
in the cleft of the tree
and Reynard sprang lightly
and break out the wedge from the tree
then helped the bear neither flattering nor chiding
he was fast shut in the tree
thus has the nephew with deceit 
brought his uncle in prison in the tree
in suchwise as he could not get out
with might nor with craft
head nor foot

what profits Bruyn the Bear
that he strong and hardy is
that may not help him
he saw well he beguiled was
he began to howl and to bray
and crutched with the hinder feet
and made such a noise and rumour
that Lantfert came out hastily
and knew nothing what this might be
and brought in his hand a sharp hook
Bruyn the Bear lay in the cleft of the tree
in great fear and dread
and held fast his head
and nipped both his forefeet
he wrang
he wrestled and cried
and all was for nought
he wist not how he might get out

Reynard the Fox saw from far
how Lantfert the Carpenter came
and then spake Reynard to the Bear

is the honey good?
how is it now?
eat not too much
it should do you harm
you should not then well go
to the court
when Lantfert comes
if you have well eaten
he shall give you better to drink
and then it shall not stick in your throat

after these words
then turned him Reynard
toward his castle
and Lantifert came and found the Bear
fast taken in the tree
then he ran fast to his neighbours
and said

come all into my yard
there is a bear taken

the word anon sprang over all the thorpe
and loitered not man nor wyfe
but all ran thither as fast as they could
every each with his weapon
some with a stake from the hedge
and some with a flail
and the priest of the church 
had the staff of his cross
and the clerk brought a banner
the priest's wife Julok
came with her dystaff
and so she sat and span
there came old woman
that for age had not one tooth
in her head

now was Bruyn the Bear
nigh much sorrow
that he alone must stand against them all
when he heard all this great noise and cry
he wrestled and plcuked so hard and so sore
that he hot out his head
but he left behind all the skin 
and both his ears
in suchwise that never man saw 
fouler not loather beast
for the blood ran over his eyes
and for he could get out his feet
he must leave there his claws or nails
and his rough hand

this market gathered about him evil
for he supposed never to have got away
his feet were so sore
and he might not see for the blood
which ran over his eyes
Lantfert came to him with the priest
and forth with all the parish
and began to smite and strike sore
upon his head and visage
he received there many a sore stroke

everyman beware hereby
who has harm and scathe
everyman will be thereat 
and put more to
that was well seen on the Bear
for they were all fierce and wroth
great and small
yea
Hughelyn with the crooked leg
and Ludolf with the broad long nose
they were both wroth
that one had a leaden maul
and that other a great leaden bludgeon
therewith they swung and slung at him
Sir Bartolt with the long fingers
Lantfert and Ottram the Long
these did to the Bear more harm
than all the other
that one had a sharp hook
and that other a crooked staff 
well-leaded on the end
for to play at the ball
Backtyn and Ave Abequak
my Dame Baue
and the Priest with his staff
and Dame Julok his wife
these wrought the Bear much harm
that they would fain have brought him
from his life to death
they smote and struck him all they could

Bruyn the Bear sat and sighed and groaned
and must take such as was given to him
but Lantfert was the worthiest of birth of the all
and made most noise
for Dame Pogge of Chasporte was his mother
and his father was Macob the Stopper-Maker
a much stout man
there as he was alone
Bruyn received of them many a cast of stones
before them all sprang forth
Lantfert's brother with a staff
and smote the Bear on the heat
that nor heard nor saw
and therewith the Bear sprang up 
between the bush and river
among a heap of wives
that he threw a deal of them in the river
which was wide and deep
there was the parson's wife one of them
wherefore he was full of sorrow
when he saw his wife lie in the water
him lusted no longer to smite the Bear
but called Dame Julok in the water
now everyman sees too
all they that may help her
be they men or women

I give to them all pardon of her penance
and release all their sins

all they then let Bruyn the Bear lie
and did that the priest bade

when Bruyn the Bear saw 
that they ran all from him
and ran to save the women
then sprang he into the water
and swam all that he could

then made the priest 
a great shout and noise
and ran after the Bear with great anger
and said

come
and tear again
this false thief

the Bear swam 
and breast the stream
and let them call and cry
for he was glad 
that he so escaped from them
he cursed the honey tree
and the Fox also
that had so betrayed him
that he had crept so deep therein
that he lost both his hood and ears

so forth he paddled in the stream
well a ij. or iij. mile
then waxed he so weary
that he went to land for to sit and rest
for he was heavy
he groaned and sighed
and the blood flowed over his eyes
he drew his breath
like as one should die

now hark
how the Fox did
ere he came from Lantfert's
how he stole a fat hen
and had laid her in his bag
and ran hastily away by a bypath
where he knew no man should come
he ran toward the river
he was so glad
that he wist not what to do for joy
for he hoped that the Bear was dead
he said

I have now well sped
for he should most have hindered me
in the court is now dead
and none shall accuse me thereof
may I not then by right be well glad

with these words the Fox looked to the riverward
and espied where Bruyn the Bear lay and rested
then was the Fox sorrier and heavier
than he before was merry
and was as angry 
and said chiding Lantfert

alas Lantfert
lewd fool
God give him a shameful death
that has lost such good venison
which is good and fat
and has let him go
which was taken in his hand
many a man would gladly have eaten of him
he has lost a rich and fat bear

thus all chiding
he came to the river
where he found the Bear sore wounded
bled out and right sick
which he might thank none better thereof
than Reynard
who spake to the Bear in scorn

chierc priestre
dieu vous garde

will you see
the red thief

said the Bear to himself

the ribaud and fell dire 
here I see him come

then said the fox

have you ought forgotten at Lantfert's?
have you also paid him for the honeycombs
that you stole from him?
if you have not
it were a great shame and not honest
I will rather be the messenger myself
for to go and pay him
was the honey not good?
I know yet more of the same price
dear uncle
tell me ere I go hence
into what order will you go
that you wear this new hood?
were you a monk or an abbot?
he that shaved you crown
has nipped off your ears
you have lost your top
and gloves
I trust verily you will go sing Compline

all this heard 
Bruyn the Bear
and waxed all angry and sorry
for he might not avenge him
he let the Fox say his will 
and with great pain suffered it
and start again in the river
and swam down with the stream
to that other side
now must he sorrow 
how he should come to the court
for he had lost his ears
and the skin with the claws 
of his forefeet
for though a man should have slain him
he could not go
and yet he must need forth
but he wist not how
now hear how he did
he sat upon his hams
and began to shuffle over his tail
and when he was so weary
he rolled and tumbled nigh half a mile
this did he with great pain
so long til at last he came to the court
and when he was seen so coming from far
some doubted what it might be
that came so rolling
the King at last knew him
and was not well paid and said

this is Bruyn the Bear
my friend
who has wounded him thus?
he is passing red on his heed
methinks he is hurt unto the death
where may he have been?

therewith is the Bear come 
before the King
and said