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Passus Quartus
Vpon the crest of this wid hille went we, and found so gladsom a thing, of mirthe and high solas and litel hevynesse therein,
an inne for we wary knightes two
to reste oure heeds and walk no mo.
Herein was duellyng in thisse cotage, pesaunts of the typ italiauns. A poore wenche ther was, and wyth courage for the nones.
"Greetyngs pesaunt," quod the greet knight Ahron of Histoy, sword shining brite. "Hadde there a graal near anon? Tis the quest of this faire compaignye to find, and soon we fear the sunne wil sette on the day and soone it shal be nygte!"
Quod she, "Nay by me fay! There had been no graayle heere today! But natheless, can thee some ynterest bee in oure fyn meed?""Meed a two," quod I. "And for me a bowl of beest fruit, certaygne!"
She wente to the inne and, shortly, returned she wyth a plate of fruits so swete, of colours blaak and grene, with such delyte was I, I found it difficult for which to mak to speche.
Sir Ahron of Histoy mad quicklee for to eet, but when he did his face turn'd reed as if he et a leek!
"By God, namore of this!" Quoth then the knight. "I say for me thys ys of soom grete dysease! Ther ys no wors thyng in thysse loond, taak thisse recced bowl fro me sight, plese!"
"Ha ha!" laughed I. "for cristes passion! Thes olivs had leeft a sharpe impressioun!"
"Laugh ye not! Tis not funie!" quod he. "For certes, these smal round thyngs of the devyl be!"
But certes did I laugh, as did we alle at the inne. Yt was so grande a jape that bifore longe wente they alle toward their touns a tale for to spinne!
[Trans: Passus Quartus
We two knights were in great need of sustenance, and we had had just enough of this heat, so we sought a place where we could make repentance. Upon the crest of this wide hill we went and found a so glad-making a thing, one of mirth and high happiness, and where little seriousness was, an inn for we two weary knights to rest our heads and no longer walk.
Inside the dwelling, in this cottage, were Italian peasants. A poor wench was there, but one with great courage.
"Greetings, pesant," said the great knight Ahron of Histon, sword shining brightly. "Was there a grail here recently? It is the quest of our fair company to find one, and soon we fear the sun will set on the day, and soon it will be night!"
She said, "No, by my faith! There had not been a grail here today! However, do you have any interest in our fine mead?"
"Two meads," I said. "And for me a bow of your best fruit, truly!"
She went to the inn and, shortly thereafter, returned with a plate of sweet fruits, colored black and green, I was delighted, I found it difficult to speak.
Sir Ahron of Histon quickly went to eat, but when he did his face turned red as if he had eaten a leek!
By God, no more of this food!" Said the knight then. "I say these are like a disease for me! There is no worse thing in this land, take this retched bowl from my sight, please!"
"Ha ha! I laughed. "for Christ's passion! These olives had caused quite a problem!"
"Do not laugh! It's not funny!" he said. "Certainly, these small round things are from the devil!"
But truly I did laugh, as did we all at the inn. It was so big a joke that before long all the folk went to their towns, to spin the tale.]
Passus Quintus
We turne to studye at thisse taverne, by me faithe, and I must telle you, ere that y further in this tale passe, wel oghte a man be advysed by his bokes. And so did we maken mucel of Cato and Nicholson to studie. Thees bokes habeen oure guides on this oure queest, by my sooth. Sir Ahron did espie such grete a passage therein that we knewe wharre we must mayke for to go! Ahron to me rede a tale of so grete a knight, who guarde the graayle and never gone was yt from his hooly syght! It sayde thisse boke where we most journie, that to seeke out the elde kirche moost we!
We knewe nat in whic countree was this elde kirche, ne what directioun we moost ytake, but quickeley we moost ago welaway, biforen the hotte sunne two knightes as wi'inne a oven ybake!
So thenne we wente, two grete knightes we, out into the wylde and goode countree! Came we to a hill set upon a field, a site it seemed that of wounder of a smalle childe! Castle Hille ywys yt cleped by alle, I knewe, and as we aproache by foote, so straunge a sudden yrge we feele. That there Ahron and I moost tak up to fyhte, so therefore did we do, my sword on hem to strike. And he vpon mine own, up the hille we fyhte, and doon too, and up again alyte!
And sudenlye, I tripp on a stoon, and there I yfalle riht to the groond! Ythought ywys goon to die, but then sudenlie, as his sword wys about to flye, Sir Ahron of Histon and I yspot the source locacioun of oure aflixioun. Thare wys an familie of some lene bodie, come frome the eeste, no launguage of oures did they yspeke. They sette anon on thisse grete hille, and wit ys like opels they were faste ystille! Comixally, I did ydrop mye sword from my hond. And then they must understaund, oure battaile it seem'd was namore than a showcas for the stryngth of the knights of ours faire lond!
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| "Pley deed, sir knyght of Chestertone, as though I ye struck. We wille give a them grete storie for to taake hoome, by cristes luck!" |
[Trans: Passus Quintus
We turned to our literature at the tavern, by my faith, and I must tell you, before this tale passes any more, a man ought to be advised by his books. And so we did make much use of Cato and Nicholson by means of study. These books have been our guides on this quest, truthfully. Sir Ahron did spy a great passage in one of them that we knew where we must go! Ahron read to me a tale of a great knight who guards the grail and has never let it out of his sight! This book said where we should journey, that we should seek out the old church!
We didn't know in what country lay the church, nor what direction we must take, but quickly we needed to go somewhere, before the hot sun baked the two knights as in an oven.
So then we went, we to great knights, out into the wild and good country! We came to a hill upon a field, a wondrous site, it seemed, like that belonging to a small child.
It was called Castle Hill by everyone, I knew, and as we approached it by foot, we felt a strange sudden urge. Sir Ahron and I felt that we needed to suddenly fight, so we did, my sword was set on to strike him. And his was set on mine, we fought up the hill and down it, too, and up again lightly!
And suddenly, I tripped on a stone, and I fell there right to the ground! I thought I was going to die, but then suddenly, as his sword was about to fly at me, Sir Ahron of Histon and I spotted the source of our affliction. There was lean family, that had come from the East, they didn't speak our language. They were sitting there on the great hill, and their eyes were like opals and fast still. Comically, I did drop my sword from my hand. And then the must understand, our battle it seemed was no more than a showcase for the strength of the knights of our fair land!]
Passus Sextus
We wende then unto a smal kirche, that wys jyst acrs the rode from the hill, of coars!There into we woulde have ago, but the dore was lock'ed what shoulde we do?
Thy wit ys overcom by oure harde werke whan we get the smal kee from a clerk.
"We ar oon a grete queest," quod Sir Ahron, his bukeler heeld abrest. "Has ye seen the grayile, tell us you meest!"
"Nay and welaway!" quod the clerk, like a dronke millere. "Not todayee. But inside the chirche you can looke if ye may."
I am so hapie that we can finaley go inne, but there is redtap to do: she makes Sir Ahron to given a proof of his kin.What sholde I moore seyn? We most the grayle fynde!
I tyrn the kee and the door opyen wyde!
But a graal we do not fynd insyde...
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| "Nothin is heer, good sir knight! What shal we do hence, thys be shyte!" |
We aske for cristes dignitee, "Plese," we preye. "We've ben onne queest all frekyn daye!"
[Trans: Passus Sextus
We went into a small church that was just across the road from the hill, of course!'
We would have gone right into it, but the the door was locked. What should we do?
Your wit is overcome by your hard work, that is until we get the small key from a clerk.
"We are on a great quest," said Sir Ahron, his buckler held to his breast. "Have you seen the grail, tell us you must!"
"No, verily!" said the clerk, like a drunk miller. "Not today. but you can look inside the church if you want."
I am so happy that we can finally go in, but there is red-tape to deal with: she makes Sir Ahron give her some ID.
What more should I say? We must find the grail!
I turn the key and the door opens wide!
But a grail we do not find inside...
We ask for Christ's dignity, "Please," we pray. "We have been on this quest all freaking day."]
Passus Septimus
We seeke so grete a thyng, but eek our werk, verily, ys worthe not a bene! Acros the toun go we, but where to loke, we do nat knowe.There ys a path we fynd on a olde parchmynt, a mape of alle the graal sites in toun!
With thys parchment, are corage is yforged newe, we tak a passe, oure direxioon straat and trewe.
We maak oure wey to a taverne newe, therein we finde a lady who might of the graal knoe. "Good Lady," quod I, "We seek the graal, is thyre oon ye might poynt us to?"
"Good sir knights! Grab ye a pynt," quod she. "Thyre be onely on grayel I've ever knoon to be ryht!"
"Ah, ye, verily," quod Sir Ahron of Histoy. "Ey nede a pynt of cydere, alas! Too muche meed gyves to me grete gaas!"
And so dranke we, with good compaignye, and spook of all the sightes we did a seye.
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| "Milady, we shal ye protect. Stray not from our sight thisse daye, ye caravaiyn de ne departe for a half-hour or tweye." |
[Trans: Passus Septimus
We seek to great a thing, but also our work, truly, is not worth a bean! Across the town we go, but where to look--we do not know.
There is a path we find on an old parchment, a map of all the grail sites in town! (lucky us, huh?)
With this parchment, our courage is forged newly, we head for a pass, our direction straight and true.
We make our way to a tavern new, therein we find a lady who might of the grail know.
"Good Lady," I said, "We seek the grail, is there one you might point us to?"
"Good sir knights! Grab you a pint," she said. "There be only one grail I've ever known to be right!"
"Ah, yes, truly," said Sir Ahron of Histon. "I need a pint of cider, unfortunately! Too much mead gives me great gas!"
And so we drank, with good company, and spoke of all the sights we did see.
And after we escorted the good lady through the dangers of the city. And that is all there is to be said, God save this great company!]
Explicit Queste for the hoolie graaaaaal
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