nstrel, and
fought in the Holy Land against the Saracens. His "song-story"
is certainly Arabian both in form and substance. Even his
hero, Aucassin, the young Christian lord of Beaucaire, bears
an Arabian name--Alcazin. There is nothing in Mohammedan
literature equal to "Aucassin and Nicolette." It can be
compared only with Shakespeare's "As You Like It." The old,
sorrowful, tender-hearted minstrel knight, who wandered from
castle to castle in Hainault and Picardy seven hundred years
ago, is one of the master-singers of the world.

_I.--Lovers Young and Fair_

Listen to a tale of love,
Which an old grey captive wove.
Great delight and solace he
Found in his captivity,
As he told what toils beset
Aucassin and Nicolette;
And the dolour undergone,
And the deeds of prowess done
By a lad of noble race,
For a lady fair of face.
Though a man be old and blind,
Sick in body and in mind,
If he hearken he shall be
Filled with joy and jollity,
So delectable and sweet
Is the tale I now repeat.

Now, a war broke out between Count Bougars of Valence and Count Garin of
Beaucaire; and Count Bougars besieged Beaucaire with a hundred knights
and ten thousand men. Then Count Garin, who was old and feeble, said to
his fair young son, Aucassin:

"Now, son, go and defend our land and people."

"I tell you," said Aucassin, "I will never draw sword unless I have my
sweet love Nicolette to wife."

"And I tell you," said his father, "that I would liefer lose life and
land than see you wedded to her. What! A Saracen girl, bought by one of
my captains! A slave! A heathen! A witch! God! I will burn her in a
fire, and you with her."

"Stay!" said Aucassin. "I will make an agreement. I will fight Count
Bougars, if you will let me speak to Nicolette after the battle."

"I agree," said his father. And he said this because Count Bougars was
well night master of Beaucaire.

Aucassin went out to battle in great joy. But his father went in great
anger to the captain that had bought Nicolette from the Saracens, and
said:

"If I lay hands on that heathen girl, I will burn her in a fire, and you
also, unless you have a care."

And the captain who had adopted Nicolette as his daughter was afraid
both for himself and for his godchild. And he hid her in the tower that
stood in the garden of his house.

In the tower that Nic