Tuesday 7 February 2017

Yvain, the Knight of the Lion: An interview with Yvain ~ Chrétien de Troyes

A wonderful fictitious interview ~ Yvain, the Knight of the Lion (French: Yvain ou le Chevalier au Lion) is an Arthurian romance by French poet Chrétien de Troyes. It was probably written in the 1170s simultaneously with Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart, and includes several references to the narrative of that poem.
It is a story of knight-errantry, in which the protagonist Yvain is first rejected by his lady for breaking a promise, and subsequently, performs a number of heroic deeds in order to regain her favour.
~ Good morning Yvain. What drove you into the adventure of the fountain that your cousin Calogrenant had made?

"I went to the fountain to save the honour of my cousin, who had been defeated by a knight."

"Can you describe the fountain?"

The fountain was made of emeralds, and to support the emerald there were four flaming rubies.
Lady of the Fountain

"Can you tell us what happened at the castle?"

- When I was locked up in the castle a young girl came to bring me a ring so that nobody could see me. Everybody was searching and searching everywhere for the assassin of their lord. After this bustle, I could hear shrieks and tears. I looked at my window and saw a lovely woman with long hair and a beautiful coat. I was in love. Then the girl at the ring returned and bathed me because I had not bathed for a long time. She gave me fine clothes. A few days later she told me to follow her without being seen, and we went into the room of Dame Laudine, the old wife of the lord whom I conquered. It was the Lady I had seen and loved. We made peace and we got married.
- Who told you to leave your wife and why?

- This is Gawain who told me to leave my wife because I had to keep my reputation by tournaments and battles.

- What was your "delay" to return to the castle after your adventures and why did you break it?

- My wife had me set a "deadline" for a year. I broke it because I did not know how many days had passed since I left. And after the delay, Lunette, the girl with the ring, came to warn me that beyond this time, my wife, Laudine, would have no more love for me.

- What happened?

- After I left the forest half crazy. I do not remember what happened, but I know I woke up naked with clothes on a chair and eat, then I put on those clothes and got out of where I was. I met a young woman who accompanied me to her chateau. Then the Count de l'Alier's troops arrived at the castle and I fought them. Then I left the castle.
Art by John Howe
"How was the meeting with the lion?"

- I was walking in the forest when suddenly I saw a lion fighting a snake spitting fire. I had to save one of the two animals. I chose the lion because it was a courageous and valiant animal. With my sword, I cut the snake into pieces to deliver the lion to whom it had burned the beginning of the tail. I had to cut a part of his tail because the head of the snake was hung on this one. Afterwards, I expected to fight also with the lion that would surely devour me. Instead, the lion went to my feet as a sign of gratitude. Then I left and he followed me. We spent the night together and from that moment I knew he would never leave me, that I was his master.
Art by Natalia Golovanova
- What happened when you met Lunette? Where was she and why?

- I continued my way when I heard "Help!" In a voice I recognised. It was Lunette. She was a prisoner because my wife had no more confidence in her, and so that she would not be put to death she must have a chief who would compete for her. So I devoted myself because Lunette had once saved me from death.

"What knight did you beat after leaving Lunette?"

- After leaving Lunette, I went to a castle where I was very well received, but I felt a heavy atmosphere. The lord of the place needed a knight to face a barbaric man who lived in the mountains: Harpin de la Montagne. The latter retained his two sons and wanted his daughter as his wife. Harpin de la Montagne terrorised them because he had already defeated brave and brave knights. I accepted at once to help them, but only on one condition: that Harpin de la Montagne should not delay, for I had promised Lunette to be his knight to defend it.

"How many knights have you had to face to save Lunette, and who helped you in this battle?"

"To save Lunette, I had to face three knights. It was thanks to my lion that I defeated him.

- Owain, King Arthur he will come to reconcile the two sisters about inheritance?

- Not at first! And I had to fight like the other knight, I did not recognise at first. The combat was long and terrible, and we inflicted great wounds upon ourselves. After a break, during the fight, I realised that my opponent was my friend Gawain and that we could not continue. The king therefore, made the decision to settle the conflict by frightening the elder of the sisters by skilful words. She had no choice but to give inheritance to her younger brother.

- What did you do when you recovered from your injuries?

- I decided to reconquer my Lady, and I set off to trigger a terrible storm at the fountain. Laudine could not get out of it and asked Lunette for advice. She tells him she should appeal to the lion knight. As the lady did not know who was really that knight, she promised and made an oath to Lunette to do everything to reconcile her with her lady.

"Have you reconciled yourself with Laudine?"

- She was initially surprised to see me, and then as I apologised, and I recognised my faults and crimes, Dame Laudine forgave me. I was then the happiest of men.
Undine and Huldebrand by Henry Fuseli
Undine is a fairy-tale novella (Erzählung) by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué in which Undine, a water spirit, marries a knight named Huldebrand in order to gain a soul.
Source HERE
Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You
Excalibur (1981) Trailer
Love and light,
Trace
xoxo

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