雙語《列那狐》 30

CHAPTER XXX

“NOW two year past came a Man and a Serpent here into this Court for to have judgment, which was to you and yours right doubtful. The Serpent stood in an hedge whereas he supposed to have gone through, but he was caught in a snare by the neck that he might not escape without help, but should have lost his life there. The Man came forth by, and the Serpent called to him and cried, and prayed the Man that he would help him out of the snare, or else he must there die. The Man had pity of him, and said,‘If thou promise to me that thou wilt not envenom me, nor do me none harm nor hurt, I shall help thee out of this peril.’The Serpent was ready, and swore a great oath that he now nor never should do him harm nor hurt. Then he unloosed him and delivered him out of the snare. And they went forth together a good while that the Serpent had great hunger, for he had not eaten a great while before, and sterte to the Man and would have slain him. The Man sterte away and was afraid, and said,‘Wilt thou now slay me? hast thou forgotten the oath that thou madest to me that thou shouldest not misdo nor hurt me?’The Serpent answered,‘I may do it good before all the world that I do. The need of hunger may cause a man to break his oath.’The Man said,‘If it may be not better, give me so long respite till we meet and find that may judge the matter by right.’The Serpent granted thereto. Thus they went together so long that they found Tyseln the Raven and Slyndpere his son; there rehearsed they their reasons. Tyseln the Raven judged anon that he should eat the Man. He would fain have eaten his part, and his son also. The Serpent said to the Man,‘How is it now? What think you? Have I not won?’The Man said,‘How should a robber judge this? He should have avail thereby. And also he is alone: there must be two or three at least together, and that they understand the right and law, and that done let the sentence gon; I am nevertheless ill on enough.’They agreed and went forth both together so long that they found the Bear and the Wolf, to whom they told their matter. And they anon judged that the Serpent should slay the Man. For the need of hunger breaks oath alway. The Man then was in great doubt and fear, and the Serpent came and cast his venom at him; but the Man leapt away from him with great pain, and said,‘You do great wrong that you thus lie in await to slay me. You have no right thereto.’The Serpent said,‘Is it not enough yet? It has been twice judged.’‘Yea,’said the Man,‘that is of them that are wont to murder and rob. All that ever they swear and promise they hold not. But I appeal this matter into the Court before our Lord the King, and that thou mayst not forsake. And what judgment that shall be given there, shall I obey and suffer, and never do the contrary.’The Bear and the Wolf said that it should be so, and that the Serpent desired no better. They supposed if it should come before you it should go there as they would. I think you be well remembered hereof. Tho came they all to the Court before you; and the Wolf's two children came with their father, which were called Empty Belly and Never Full, because they would eat of the Man; for they howled for great hunger. Wherefore you commanded them to avoid your Court. The Man stood in great dread, and called upon your good grace, and told how the Serpent would have taken his life from him, to whom he had saved his life, and that, above his oath and promise, he would have devoured him. The Serpent answered,‘I have not trespassed, and that I report me wholly unto the King. For I did it to save my life, for need of life one may break his oath and promise.’My Lord that time were you and all your Council herewith accombred. For your noble grace saw the great sorrow of the Man, and you would not that a man should for his gentleness and kindness be judged to death. And on that other, since hunger, and need to save the life, seeks narrowly to be holpen, here was none in all the Court that could nor knew the right hereof. There were some that would fain the Man had be holpen. I see them here standing. I wot well they said that they could not end this matter. Then commanded you that Reynart, my nephew, should come and say his advice in this matter. That time was he above all other believed and heard in this Court, and you bade him give sentence according to the best right and we all shall follow him, for he knew the ground of the law. Reynart said,‘My Lord, it is not possible to give a true sentence after their words, for in hearsaying are oft leasings. But and if I might see the Serpent in the same peril and need that he was in when the Man loosed him and unbound, then wist I well what I should say. And who that would do otherwise he should misdo against right.’Then said, you, my Lord,‘Reynart, that is well said. We all accord hereto; for no man can say better.’Then went the Man and the Serpent into the place whereas he found the Serpent. Reynart bade that the Serpent should be set in the snare in likewise as he was. And it was done. Then said you, my Lord,‘Reynart, how thinks you now? What judgment shall we give?’Then said Reynart the Fox,‘My Lord, now are they both like as they were before. They have neither won nor lost. See, my Lord, how I judge for a right, also ferre as it shall please your noble grace. If the Man will now loose and unbind the Serpent, upon the promise and oath that he before made to him, he may well do it. But if he think that he for anything should be encumbered or hindered by the Serpent, or for need of hunger would break his oath and promise, then judge I that the Man may go freely where he will, and let the Serpent abide still bounden, like as he might have done at the beginning: for he would have broken his oath and promise, whereas he holp him out of such fearful peril. Thus thinks me a rightful judgment that the Man shall have his free choice like as he before had.’Lo my Lord this judgment thought you good, and all your council which at that time were by you; and followed the same, and praised Reynart's wisdom, that he had made the Man quit and free. Thus the Fox wisely kept your noble honour and worship, as a true servant is bound to do to his Lord. Where has the Bear or the Wolf done ever to you so much worship? They conne well huylen and blasen, steal and rob, and eat fat morsels and fill their bellies, and then judge they for right and law that small thieves that steal hens and chickens should be hanged, but they themself that steal kine, oxen, and horses, they shall go quit and be lords. And same as though they were wiser than Solomon, Avicene, or Aristoteles; and each will be holden high proud, and praised of great deeds and hardy; but and they come where as it is to do, they are the first that flee. Then must the simple go forth before, and they keep the reward behind. Och, my Lord, these and other like to them be not wise, but they destroy town, castle, land, and people. They reck not whose house burns, so that they may warm them by the coals. They seek all their own avail and singular profit. But Reynart the Fox and all his friends and lineage sorowen and think to prefer the honour, worship, fordeel, and profit of their lord, and for wise counsel which oft more profits here than pride and boast. This does Reynart, though he have no thank. At long it shall be well known who is best and does most profit. My Lord, you say that his kin and lineage draw all afterward from him, and stand not by him for his falsehood and deceivable and subtle touches. I would another had said that; there should then such wrake be taken thereof that him might growl that ever he saw him. But, my Lord, we will forbear you; you may save your pleasure; and also I say it not by you. Were there any that would bedrive anything against you, with words or with werkes, him that would we so do to, that men should say we had been there. There as fighting is, we are not wont to be afraid. My Lord, by your leave, I may well give you knowledge of Reynart's friends and kin. There are many of them that for his sake and love will adventure life and good. I know myself for one. I am a wife. I should, if he had need, set my life and good for him. Also I have three full waxen children which are hardy and strong, whom I would all together adventure for his love, rather than I should see him destroyed; yet had I liever die than I saw them miscarry before my eyes, so well love I them.”