The White Knight: Tirant Lo Blanc Read online

  "May you have joy and consolation from what you most love," saidthe hermit. "For you have told me how Tirant has been the victorover three knights he defeated."

  "My lord," said Diafebus, "he has done even more singular deedsthat I have not yet told your grace."

  "I would be very pleased," said the hermit, "if you would tell meabout them."

  "My lord, your holiness should know that two months after Tiranthad gotten out of his bed and could bear arms again, somethingvery strange happened to him.

  "The Prince of Wales came to the celebration with a large retinueof noblemen. His lodgings were near the city wall, and as he isa great hunter he had many greyhounds. One day the king went tohis lodging with three or four knights to greet him, because whenthey were children they had been great friends and they were veryclose relatives. The prince wanted to joust, and when he saw theking he begged him to have the tournament judges come to counselhim. Tirant was returning from the city, and when he was infront of the prince's lodgings a greyhound broke its chain andgot out of its cage, and it was so fierce that no one dared to gonear it.

  "As Tirant was passing through the middle of the square he sawthe greyhound running swiftly toward him to attack him. Hequickly dismounted and pulled out his sword. When the greyhoundsaw the sword, it turned back and Tirant said:

  "'I don't want to lose my life or my honor for an animal.'

  "And he mounted his horse again. The king and the judges werestanding where they could see him. The Prince of Wales said:

  "'In faith, my lord, I recognize that evil tempered greyhound,and since he's loose, if the knight that just went by is brave,we'll see a pretty battle between them.'

  "'I believe,' said the king, 'that that is Tirant lo Blanc, andsince he's made it run away one time I don't think it will dareto go near him again.'

  "When Tirant had gone twenty steps further, the greyhound againran at him in a rage, so Tirant had to dismount again, and hesaid:

  "'I don't know whether you're a devil or under a spell.'

  "He took out his sword, and ran toward it, and the greyhound ranin circles around him, but it didn't dare go near him for fear ofthe sword.

  "Now, said Tirant, 'since I see that my weapons make you afraid,I don't want anyone to say that I fought you with superior arms.'"He threw his sword behind him. The greyhound made two or threeleaps, and ran as swiftly as it could. It picked up the swordwith its teeth and carried it off a distance. Then it camerunning back at Tirant.

  "'Now,' said Tirant, 'I'll attack you with the same weapons youwant to use against me.'

  "They struggled together in a fury, and bit each other mortally.

  "The greyhound was huge and sublime, and it made Tirant fall tothe ground three times, and three times it nearly knocked himdown. This struggle of theirs lasted half an hour, and thePrince of Wales commanded his men not to go near to separate themuntil one of them was defeated.

  "Poor Tirant had many bites on his legs and on his arms. FinallyTirant grabbed it around the neck with his hands and squeezed astightly as he could, sinking his teeth into its throat with suchferocity that it fell to the ground, dead.

  "The king quickly came out with his judges and picked Tirant upand carried him to the prince's house, and there they had thedoctors come to minister to him.

  "When the queen and the maidens heard about Tirant, they quicklycame to see him. When the queen saw how badly he was hurt, shetold him:

  "'Tirant, honors are won by danger and work. You get out of onebad situation, and you fall into another.'

  "'Most serene lady, full of all human and angelic perfection, letYour Majesty be the judge of my sin,' said Tirant.' I was notintending to bring harm to anyone when a devil in the form of adog appeared before me with his master's consent, and decided tosatisfy my desire.'

  "'You shouldn't be sad at all, no matter how many misfortunesbefall you,' said the queen, 'for here you show your virtue allthe more.'

  "At this moment the king and the judges came out, and they toldTirant that as they had seen the battle between him and thegreyhound, and since he had thrown away his sword and the twowere equal in arms, the judges were giving him the honor and theprize in battle, as if he had defeated a knight. And theycommanded the kings-of-arms, heralds, and messengers to announcethroughout the city the honor that was bestowed on Tirant thatday. And when they took him to his lodging they gave him thosehonors that are given in other battles."

  "I am very content with everything you have told me," said thehermit. "As long as I have lived in this miserable world I havenever heard of such great celebrations."

  When they thought it was time to go, they all took their leave ofthe father-hermit, each thanking the other.

  And from this time forward the hermit is never mentioned again.