| [Now they sing it.] |
| The wise Nicolette Walks up on the shores, And she does not forget The castles and towers. At first, the grand sight Filled the child with delight, Then she sighed, "Well-a-day! What would Aucassin say, My own darling knight, If he knew that the pirates, that terrible day, The Princess of Carthage had carried away? "Dear boy, thy heart's love Brings me sorrow and pain; May the good God above Let me see thee again! Come, fold me in thine own embrace, Kiss my lips, and kiss my eyes, Kiss again your sweetheart's face!" So his princess sadly cries To her lord and lover. |
When Nicolette sang this, the King of Carthage heard her.
"My dear child," he cried, throwing his arms around her neck, "tell me who you are, I beg you! Do not be afraid of me."
"Sir," replied Nicolette, "I am the daughter of the King of Carthage, from whom I was stolen fifteen years ago."
It was easy for the king and his brothers to see that what Nicolette said was true. So they took her to the palace, and made a great fête for her, as was fitting for the daughter of a king. They wished to give her for a wife to a king of the pagans; but she refused. She said she did not yet wish to marry.
After three or four days, she thought of the way by which she could gain some news of Aucassin. The only way she could think of was to learn to play the violin; and one day, when they wanted to marry her to a rich pagan prince, she ran away, and came to the harbor, where she lodged with a poor old woman who lived there. Then she took a certain herb, and squeezed the juice out of it; and with this juice she stained her pretty face from top to bottom, so that all of a sudden it became quite black. Then she made herself a tunic, a mantle, shirt, and breeches, and so disguised herself as a minstrel; took her violin, and went to a sailor, who, with some hesitation, agreed to take her into his ship.
The sails were already set; and so swiftly did the ship sail here and there through the high sea, that she arrived at the country of Provence; and there Nicolette landed with her violin. Once on land, the gentle girl began wandering through the country, playing her violin as she went from this place to that, until she came to the Castle of Beaucaire, where was Aucassin.
| [Now they sing it.] |
| Aucassin is sitting there At his castle at Beaucaire; All his barons brave surround him, Sweet the flowers and birds around him: But he is in despair. For Aucassin cannot forget His charming Nicolette, His darling fair. While he sighs, the girl has found him; For she stands upon the stair, Deftly tunes her viol-strings, And to the prince and barons sings:— "Wise and loyal knights, Hear my little lay: How Nicolette and Aucassin were kept so far apart, While he loved her, as she loved him, with all his heart, As you do not love every day. "One day the pagans made her slave In the tower of Torelore. Where was Aucassin the brave? I do not know his story. But Nicolette, of whom I sing, Where she has her father found, And where he reigns as king. He would give the maiden over To wed in pomp a pagan lover. But Nicolette says, No! She loves a damoiseau, Named Aucassin, and so She will wed no pagan hound, She waits alone till she has found Him whom she loves." |
[Now they tell it, and speak it, and talk it.] |
When Aucassin heard Nicolette sing this, he was full of joy. He led her on one side, and said,—
"My good fellow, do you know anything more of this Nicolette, whose story you have been singing to us?"