Of　our　Lord　that　is　most　high；
  Rather　would　he　they　should　die
  All　his　kin　and　parentry；
  So　that　Nicolete　were　nigh。
  〃Ah　sweet　love；　and　fair　of　brow；
  I　know　not　where　to　seek　thee　now；
  God　made　never　that　countrie；
  Not　by　land；　and　not　by　sea；
  Where　I　would　not　search　for　thee；
  If　that　might　be！〃
  Then　speak　they；　say　they；　tell　they　the　Tale：
  Now　leave　we　Aucassin；　and　speak　we　of　Nicolete。　　The　ship　wherein
  she　was　cast　pertained　to　the　King　of　Carthage；　and　he　was　her
  father；　and　she　had　twelve　brothers；　all　princes　or　kings。　　When
  they　beheld　Nicolete；　how　fair　she　was；　they　did　her　great　worship；
  and　made　much　joy　of　her；　and　many　times　asked　her　who　she　was；　for
  surely　seemed　she　a　lady　of　noble　line　and　high　parentry。　　But　she
  might　not　tell　them　of　her　lineage；　for　she　was　but　a　child　when　men
  stole　her　away。　　So　sailed　they　till　they　won　the　City　of　Carthage；
  and　when　Nicolete　saw　the　walls　of　the　castle；　and　the　country…side；
  she　knew　that　there　had　she　been　nourished　and　thence　stolen　away；
  being　but　a　child。　　Yet　was　she　not　so　young　a　child　but　that　well
  she　knew　she　had　been　daughter　of　the　King　of　Carthage；　and　of　her
  nurture　in　that　city。
  Here　singeth　one：
  Nicolete　the　good　and　true
  To　the　land　hath　come　anew；
  Sees　the　palaces　and　walls；
  And　the　houses　and　the　halls！
  Then　she　spake　and　said；　〃Alas！
  That　of　birth　so　great　I　was；
  Cousin　of　the　Amiral
  And　the　very　child　of　him
  Carthage　counts　King　of　Paynim；
  Wild　folk　hold　me　here　withal；
  Nay　Aucassin；　love　of　thee
  Gentle　knight；　and　true；　and　free；
  Burns　and　wastes　the　heart　of　me。
  Ah　God　grant　it　of　his　grace；
  That　thou　hold　me；　and　embrace；
  That　thou　kiss　me　on　the　face
  Love　and　lord！〃
  Then　speak　they；　say　they；　tell　they　the　Tale：
  When　the　King　of　Carthage　heard　Nicolete　speak　in　this　wise；　he　cast
  his　arms　about　her　neck。
  〃Fair　sweet　love；〃　saith　he；　〃tell　me　who　thou　art；　and　be　not
  adread　of　me。〃
  〃Sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　daughter　to　the　King　of　Carthage；　and　was
  taken；　being　then　a　little　child；　it　is　now　fifteen　years　gone。〃
  When　all　they　of　the　court　heard　her　speak　thus；　they　knew　well　that
  she　spake　sooth：　　so　made　they　great　joy　of　her；　and　led　her　to　the
  castle　in　great　honour；　as　the　King's　daughter。　　And　they　would　have
  given　her　to　her　lord　a　King　of　Paynim；　but　she　had　no　mind　to
  marry。　　There　dwelt　she　three　days　or　four。　　And　she　considered　by
  what　means　she　might　seek　for　Aucassin。　　Then　she　got　her　a　viol；
  and　learned　to　play　on　it；　till　they　would　have　married　her　on　a　day
  to　a　great　King　of　Paynim；　and　she　stole　forth　by　night；　and　came　to
  the　sea…port；　and　dwelt　with　a　poor　woman　thereby。　　Then　took　she　a
  certain　herb；　and　therewith　smeared　her　head　and　her　face；　till　she
  was　all　brown　and　stained。　　And　she　let　make　coat；　and　mantle；　and
  smock；　and　hose；　and　attired　herself　as　if　she　had　been　a　harper。
  So　took　she　the　viol　and　went　to　a　mariner；　and　so　wrought　on　him
  that　he　took　her　aboard　his　vessel。　　Then　hoisted　they　sail；　and
  fared　on　the　high　seas　even　till　they　came　to　the　land　of　Provence。
  And　Nicolete　went　forth　and　took　the　viol；　and　went　playing　through
  all　that　country；　even　till　she　came　to　the　castle　of　Biaucaire；
  where　Aucassin　lay。
  Here　singeth　one：
  At　Biaucaire　below　the　tower
  Sat　Aucassin；　on　an　hour；
  Heard　the　bird；　and　watched　the　flower；
  With　his　barons　him　beside；
  Then　came　on　him　in　that　tide；
  The　sweet　influence　of　love
  And　the　memory　thereof；
  Thought　of　Nicolete　the　fair；
  And　the　dainty　face　of　her
  He　had　loved　so　many　years；
  Then　was　he　in　dule　and　tears！
  Even　then　came　Nicolete
  On　the　stair　a　foot　she　set；
  And　she　drew　the　viol　bow
  Through　the　strings　and　chanted　so；
  〃Listen；　lords　and　knights；　to　me；
  Lords　of　high　or　low　degree；
  To　my　story　list　will　ye
  All　of　Aucassin　and　her
  That　was　Nicolete　the　fair？
  And　their　love　was　long　to　tell
  Deep　woods　through　he　sought　her　well；
  Paynims　took　them　on　a　day
  In　Torelore　and　bound　they　lay。
  Of　Aucassin　nought　know　we；
  But　fair　Nicolete　the　free
  Now　in　Carthage　doth　she　dwell；
  There　her　father　loves　her　well；
  Who　is　king　of　that　countrie。
  Her　a　husband　hath　he　found；
  Paynim　lord　that　serves　Mahound！
  Ne'er　with　him　the　maid　will　go；
  For　she　loves　a　damoiseau；
  Aucassin；　that　ye　may　know；
  Swears　to　God　that　never　mo
  With　a　lover　will　she　go
  Save　with　him　she　loveth　so
  In　long　desire。〃
  So　speak　they；　say　they；　tell　they　the　Tale：
  When　Aucassin　heard　Nicolete　speak　in　this　wise；　he　was　right
  joyful；　and　drew　her　on　one　side；　and　spoke；　saying：
  〃Sweet　fair　friend；　know　ye　nothing　of　this　Nicolete；　of　whom　ye
  have　thus　sung？〃
  〃Yea；　Sir；　I　know　her　for　the　noblest　creature；　and　the　most　gentle；
  and　the　best　that　ever　was　born　on　ground。　　She　is　daughter　to　the
  King　of　Carthage　that　took　her　there　where　Aucassin　was　taken；　and
  brought　her　into　the　city　of　Carthage；　till　he　knew　that　verily　she
  was　his　own　daughter；　whereon　he　made　right　great　mirth。　　Anon
  wished　he　to　give　her　for　her　lord　one　of　the　greatest　kings　of　all
  Spain；　but　she　would　rather　let　herself　be　hanged　or　burned；　than
  take　any　lord；　how　great　soever。〃
  〃Ha！　fair　sweet　friend；〃　quoth　the　Count　Aucassin；　〃if　thou　wilt　go
  into　that　land　again；　and　bid　her　come　and　speak　to　me；　I　will　give
  thee　of　my　substance；　more　than　thou　wouldst　dare　to　ask　or　take。
  And　know　ye；　that　for　the　sake　of　her；　I　have　no　will　to　take　a
  wife；　howsoever　high　her　lineage。　　So　wait　I　for　her；　and　never　will
  I　have　a　wife；　but　her　only。　　And　if　I　knew　where　to　find　her；　no
  need　would　I　have　to　seek　her。〃
  〃Sir；〃　quoth　she；　〃if　ye　promise　me　that；　I　will　go　in　quest　of　her
  for　your　sake；　and　for　hers；　that　I　love　much。〃
  So　he　sware　to　her；　and　anon　let　give　her　twenty　livres；　and　she
  departed　from　him；　and　he　wept　for　the　sweetness　of　Nicolete。　　And
  when　she　saw　him　weeping；　she　said：
  〃Sir；　trouble　not　thyself　so　much　withal。　　For　in　a　little　while
  shall　I　have　brought　her　into　this　city；　and　ye　shall　see　her。〃
  When　Aucassin　heard　that；　he　was　right　glad　thereof。　　And　she
  departed　from　him；　and　went　into　the　city　to　the　house　of　the
  Captain's　wife；　for　the　Captain　her　father　in　God　was　dead。　　So　she
  dwelt　there；　and　told　all　her　tale；　and　the　Captain's　wife　knew　her；
  and　knew　well　that　she　was　Nicolete　that　she　herself　had　nourished。
  Then　she　let　wash　and　bathe　her；　and　there　rested　she　eight　full
  days。　　Then　took　she　an　herb　that　was　named　Eyebright　and　anointed
  herself　therewith；　and　was　as　fair　as　ever　she　had　been　all　the　days
  of　her　life。　　Then　she　clothed　herself　in　rich　robes　of　silk　whereof
  the　lady　had　great　store；　and　then　sat　herself　in　the　chamber　on　a
  silken　coverlet；　and　called　the　lady　and　bade　her　go　and　bring
  Aucassin　her　love；　and　she　did　even　so。　　And　when　she　came　to　the
  Palace　she　found　Aucassin　weeping；　and　making　lament　for　Nicolete
  his　love；　for　that　she　delayed　so　long。　　And　the　lady　spake　unto　him
  and　said：
  〃Aucassin；　sorrow　no　more；　but　come　thou　on　with　me；　and　I　will　shew
  thee　the　thing　in　the　world　that　thou　lovest　best；　even　Nicolete　thy
  dear　love；　who　from　far　lands　hath　come　to　seek　of　thee。〃　　And
  Aucassin　was　right　glad。
  Here　singeth　one：
  When　Aucassin　heareth　now
  That　his　lady　bright　of　brow
  Dwelleth　in　his　own　countrie；
  Never　man　was　glad　as　he。
  To　her　castle　doth　he　hie
  With　the　lady　speedily；
  Passeth　to　the　chamber　high；
  Findeth　Nicolete　thereby。
  Of　her　true　love　found　again
  Never　maid　was　half　so　fain。
  Straight　she　leaped　upon　her　feet：
  When　his　love　he　saw　at　last；
  Arms　about　her　did　he　cast；
  Kissed　her　often；　kissed　her　sweet
  Kissed　her　lips　and　brows　and　eyes。
  Thus　all　night　do　they　devise；
  Even　till　the　morning　white。
  Then　Aucassin　wedded　her；
  Made　her　Lady　of　Biaucaire。
  Many　years　abode　they　there；
  Many　years　in　shade　or　sun；
  In　great　gladness　and　delight
  Ne'er　hath　Aucassin　regret
  Nor　his　lady　Nicolete。
  Now　my　story　all　is　done；
  Said　and　sung！
  NOTES
  〃THE　BLENDING〃of　alternate　prose　and　verse〃is　not　unknown　in
  various　countries。〃　　Thus　in　Dr。　Steere's　Swahili　Tales　（London；
  1870）；　p。　vii。　we　read：　　〃It　is　a　constant　characteristic　of　popular
  native　tales　to　have　a　sort　of　burden；　which　all　join　in　singing。
  Frequently　the　skeleton　of　the　story　seems　to　be　contained　in　these
  snatches　of　singing；　which　the　story…teller　connects　by　an
  extemporized　account　of　the　intervening　history　。　。　。　Almost　all
  these　stories　had　sung　parts；　and　of　some　of　these；　even　those　who
  sung　them　could　scarcely　explain　the　meaning　。　。　。　I　have　heard
  stories　partly　told；　in　which　the　verse　parts　were　in　the　Yao　and
  Nyamwezi　languages。〃　　The　examples　given　（Sultan　Majnun）　are　only
  verses　supposed　to　be　chanted　by　the　characters　in　th