Three lays of Marie de France Author:Marie Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE MAIDEN OF THE ASH My lords, among the lays of Breton bards Is one they call " The Maiden of the Ash." The tale is worth the telling—thus it runs:— In d... more »ays of old there lived a valiant lord In Brittany—the story names him not— To whom were born two children at one birth. Glad was the sire, and yet not wholly glad, Until his dearest friend might share his joy. A herald sprang to horse, and rode apace Through day, through night, and came, and cried aloud: " To him thou lovest, children twain are given. One shall be named for thee, and pass with thee The years of youth, shaping his life to thine." So spake the herald, dropped on bended knee Before the dais, where his master's friend And all his court were gathered at the board. Then he to whom the tidings came thanked God, Giving a goodly steed to him who brought them. Not so his wife, who sat beside her lord, And likewise heard, but laughed right scorn- fully— For hers was one of those envenomed tongues Which dart at every chance for a mean word— " In God's fair name! I marvel much thy friend Hath sent thee tidings of his own dishonor I We know full well the true significance Of such a story. Woman never bore Two children at one birth, nor ever will, Except she serve two masters! " Thus she spake, This strange superstition is of very ancient origin. Aristotle not only cited instances of it, but himself believed in it. Modern investigators find it still firmly rooted among barbaric nations of to-day. During the Middle Ages it was wide-spread, but only half believed in, as is shown by our lay, and by many other mediaeval stories. And though her lord reproached her, and upheld The honor of his friend's fair dame, the ill Was done—the ugly rumor ran apace. And many, who were ignoran...« less