HOW HUON MET WITH KING OBERON
There is no need to tell all Huon's journeyings after he had departed
from Paris. Let it suffice to say that he went to Rome and there
received the blessing of the Pope; and that he took ship at
Brandys,[1] and, traversing the Inland Sea, so came to Holy Land,
and, having landed at Jaffa, he came on the second day to Jerusalem.
And he had for his comrade a certain Garyn, who was his mother's
brother, for Huon was son to Duke Sevyn of Bordeaux. At Jerusalem,
when they had worshipped at the Holy Sepulchre, Huon said to his
uncle, "I thank you much for your great kindness in that you have
borne me company so far. Now then return to your lady, my aunt, and
to your children." "Not so," answered Garyn, "I will not leave you
till you shall return yourself to your own land."
[1] Brindisi.
From Jerusalem they passed through the desert suffering much from
heat and thirst. On their way they saw a hut, in the door of which
sat an old man with a long white beard, who, when Huon saluted him in
the name of God, first began to weep, and then caught Huon's hand,
and kissed it many times. "'Tis thirty years," he said, "since I
have seen the face of a Christian man. And now looking upon you I
remember me of a noble peer whom I knew long since in the land of
France, Duke Sevyn of Bordeaux. But now I pray you rest awhile."
So Huon and Garyn tied their horses to trees, and sat down and talked
with the old man. And when Huon had told his story, then the old man
related how he had been sent on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, because he
had slain a knight in a tourney, and how on his way home he had been
taken prisoner by Saracens and carried to Babylon, from which place
he had escaped after two years. "But," said he, "I have not been
able to return home, but have dwelt in this place ever since."
Huon said, "It is to Babylon that I go. Tell me now what road I
should follow." The old man answered, "There are two roads to
Babylon, one of forty days' journey and one of fifteen only. But the
shorter road is beset by a certain Oberon, King of the Fairies. This
Oberon is very pleasant to look upon, and his voice very sweet, but
be sure that you do not speak to him, for he that speaks to him is
lost for ever. Yet, if you will not speak to him, he will hinder
your journey by his magic. I counsel you, therefore, that you take
not the shorter way."
This counsel did not please Huon, who said, "If I can gain so much
time by only keeping my tongue from speech, I will surely do so."
"If this be your will," answered the old man, whose name, it should
be said, was Gerames, "I will go with you."
The next day they set forth. At noon they rested awhile under an
oak, and as they rested, Oberon came by, very richly clad in a
garment garnished with precious stones, and holding in his hand a
very precious bow. A horn also hung to his neck by two chains of
gold. There never was such a horn in this world. One note of it
could cure all kinds of sickness; another could satisfy hunger and
thirst, yet another could lighten all heaviness of heart, and a
fourth could draw any one that heard it even against his will.
As Oberon rode by, he blew a note upon his horn, and when he heard
it, Huon forgot all the hunger and thirst that he had. And Oberon
cried, "I pray you speak to me." But Huon, mindful of the counsel of
Gerames, answered not a word, but rode away. Then Oberon in his
anger blew again on his horn, and straightway there arose a great
storm, so that they could scarcely win their way against it; after
the storm there appeared a great river in their way, very black and
deep, and rushing with a terrible noise; also on the other side of
the river there appeared a very fair castle, which when they had
looked on it awhile vanished out of their sight.
[Illustration: HUON MEETING WITH OBERON.]
Gerames said, "Ride on now, taking no account of these things." And
this they did. When they had ridden some five leagues, and had seen
nothing more, Huon said, "We are well escaped from this Oberon."
Gerames answered, "Not so; we shall see him again." And while he
spake, they saw Oberon on the other side of a bridge by which they
must pass. Huon said, "See, there is the devil who makes all this
trouble." Oberon heard these words, and cried, "Sir, you do me
wrong; I am no devil, nor of an ill nature, and I entreat you that
you speak with me." But Huon answered him not a word.
After certain days, Oberon appeared again and said, "I conjure you by
the name of God that you speak to me. I know who you are, and why
you are come hither"--and he told him all that had befallen him, the
slaying of Charlot and the anger of the King--"and be sure that you
cannot accomplish the thing for which you are come, save by my help."
"Sir," answered Huon, "you are welcome." And Oberon said, "You will
win for yourself a great reward by those words."
He had scarcely said these words when there rose up before them a
very fair palace, and in the palace there was a hall, and in the hall
a table of gold, set with cups and plates and dishes and all manner
of meats thereon. At this they sat down, and feasted joyously. And
Oberon told Huon how he came to be as he was, for he was but as a
child to look upon. "When I was christened," said he, "my father
gave a royal feast to all the people, and called the fairies also.
But one fairy was not called, and she, being, greatly angered, said,
'This child shall not grow one whit after his third year.' But
afterwards repenting said, 'Though this be so, yet there shall not be
a fairer child than he." And when they were satisfied, Huon said,
"Have we your leave to depart?" Oberon answered, "You shall go when
you wish, but first I would show you something." And he said to a
knight, "Go, fetch me my cup." So the knight brought him a cup.
This Oberon took in his hands, and made over it the sign of the
cross, and straightway the cup was filled to the brim with wine.
"See," said he, "this cup. If a man be in deadly sin, there shall be
never a drop of wine in the cup when he holds it; but if he be out of
sin, then it shall fill for him. Take it now and make a trial of
it." Huon answered, "I count not myself to be worthy of such a
thing; yet thus much will I say, that I do repent me of all that I
have done amiss, and that I forgive all men what they may have done
amiss to me." Then he took the cup in his hands, and straightway it
was full of wine. Then Oberon said, "Take this cup, for you are
worthy of it, and this horn also. But beware that you use it not
except of necessity." And when he had looked upon Huon awhile, he
said, "Huon, I love you well, but I foresee that you will suffer many
things by reason of your folly." And he suffered him and his
companions to depart.