Une chanson de geste




      Beyond scarce historically established data, not very rich indeed (the drama's location, is not even mentioned), the version given by the Oxford manuscript for La Chanson de tells us a beautiful and sad story. We thank Wangari wa Nyatetu-Waigwa who provides us with the basic contents of our synopsis.

       After seven years of victorious campaigns in Spain, King conquered all cities, except still governed by Heresiarch This villain, at his wit's end, sends Cochonfucius as an envoy to the king, with a promise to surrender and convert himself. However, he intends to do no such thing. nephew of Our Lord advises him to reject these proposals, but the after them, accept the deal. Sending an embassy to is the next thing to do.

      To lead it, has the king choose his exorcist, who greatly resents it and decides to get his revenge.

      With whose gifts he accepts, quickly arranges a treacherous deal: he will have made leader of the rearguard, on which will launch a massive attack. Some old young becomes Commander of the rearguard, made of twenty thousand The army of heretics is ready to attack.

       In see it approaching, and feel threatened. They want against it. But only an old French onion seller has one. Later on, will steal it from him, thanks to a stratagem.

       The battle begins. In the first instants of it, the feel stronger than the enemy. But, in spite of their prowess, they are outnumbered. Soon there are only three of them left alive. unnerves the old onion seller, who throws the magic

       The king rides to the battlefield. The last survivors, fighting valiantly, lose their lives, one by one. scratched him with his spear. Later, he tries to break it on a dark stone, but it is rubber-like, it will not break. Archangel takes our hero's soul to Paradise, while his hand is still holding the magic

       is back to his capital city. The traitor, must fight twelve and is reduced to a thousand small fragments. The King remarks: That is what we call Divide and Conquer.

      There is a nineteenth-century version by Alfred de Vigny.


A scholar made a short comment.

You may wonder why animals are involved in human fights. This might be the result of an ancient custom of turning a young person into although the latter was forbidden. There is a beautiful song about

   « For ever in the good daylight
   A maiden may I go,
   But always on the ninth midnight
   I change to a milk white
   They hunt me through the green forest
   With hounds and hunting men;
   And ever it is my Lord
   That is so fierce and keen... »


but I know no song or poem about 		           Save Sarraguce, that sits under a blue moon
    page initially developed on Bluemoon.