The White Knight: Tirant Lo Blanc

alf a league until she came upon some fishing boats. She went into a hut and found two sheepskins, and she tied them together with a thin string and put them on, one in front a

an to search out the roads of cruel fortune. Dawn began to break and she heard a Moor coming along, singing. She hid near the road so that he would not see her, and when he had passed she saw his pure white beard and thought t

f it had not been for me, they would have done it, because I lifted my lady's son from the ground, and with a sword in my hand I wounded two of them and made the others flee. Because of this, my lady gave me liberty. She provided me with new clothing, and

thanks. The Moor removed his cloak and gave it to Plaerdemavid

ess, she felt great compassion. Her father begged her to be

is the daughter of that lady who gave me my freed

r maiden with deep affection. She gave her a blouse and a Moorish garme

reach shore. Nevertheless, Tirant never thought he would be able to avoid death, because when the Moors learned that he was Tirant, the captain of the Greeks, who had done so much damage to the Turks, they would not leave him alive for all the treasure in the world. But with the aid of Divine Providence and the sailor, they made it

a look at the land, and tomorrow we can stay here all day long. Then tomorrow night, w

nside to sleep, naked as they were. When they awoke they felt very cold. They got up, and to get war

n given lodging in a place that was lovely and abundant with animals to hunt. It so happened that that morning he went out for sport with falcons and greyhounds. While hunting, they pursued a hare which was very tired of running after being chased by dogs and falcons, and since it could find no other plac

t be the most perfect nature has every formed. But, unless my eyes de

so many men coming, he left Tirant without saying a wor

e stood looking at Tirant for a long wh

ed his second son and told him: "Look on this man as your brother." Then he said to Tirant: "If you want to please me, tell me what brought you here. At the moment I am engaged in an undertaking for my eldest son. They are trying to take his betrothed from him, and I

tood and

an orchard at mid-day, and there she made me witness the most evil sight I would ever behold. I felt such unbearable suffering that with my own hands I took vengeance on the greatest enemy of my life. Then I boa

bassad

a great deal of land

my home, you will hav

Tirant found himself dressed so finely, and he had heard the kind words of the commander, he felt very comforted. They wanted to travel by night, and the sky was blue and the moon full and it lit u

ristian has fallen with his arms out to

and hearing what the Mo

n of this is wrong.

it

r my head and arms, and it was pointing to the road that I have to take, while my hands were open an

y came to a castle. Now the ambassador's son (the one betrothed to the King of Tremicen's daughter) was away;

King Escariano was a very strong figure: He was completely black, and a giant compared to other men. A very powerful king, he had many men and a great deal of wealth. King Tremicen was weak in spirit, and he had sent word to King Escariano that his daughter was already betrothed to the son of his head commander. Furthermore, she was with child, and he felt tha

or him. King Escariano came to a river, and as they forded it he lost many men. But once across, they went up the mountains and found the King of Tremicen at the highest part, and th

attacked one castle repeatedly, and finally took it. The King of Tremicen was in another castle that was much stronger, but he

beloved who is of royal blood taken from you.

d and saw the battle. Then, very happily, he and fifteen

a prison cell and being carefully guarded, the commander became very angry. He remembered what Tirant had said as he left and fell on the ground: that he would conquer all of Barbary. He had thought about those wo

stead, it was my intention to look on you as a son. I am hopeful that you will be able to help me. And don't be surprised if I make a request of you on behalf of my lor

t rep

of the first to go into combat. Forgive me for praising myself, but my works will be their own best witness. If this king has your king under siege you s

leave. He insisted that Tirant take whatever materials he needed to destroy the bomb

astle. Now this castle was about one fourth a league from the one where the king was. When Tirant reconnoitered the land, he saw a stone bridge going across the river, and the enemy was positioned in the middle of the large orchard, so that no one dared cross over the bridge for fear of falling

he had thirty-seven bombards, large and small, firing continually,

y stayed there three days, leading the sheep close to the bombards. Tirant, under the pretext that he was simply looking, went near them, and spreading some of the unguent he had prepared over his hand, he put it on every one

t one of them was left intact. King Escariano was very surprised at this, and he took

ed, seeing that he was coming alone, and they thought it was someone from their own camp. And Tirant killed all five of them with his lance. There was a great outcry, and the entire camp rushed into action: they armed themselves and mounted their horses. Tirant concerned himself only with killing anyone in his path. When he saw that the men were armed and on horseback, and that they were coming against him, he retreated to the palisade while using his weapons continuously. Once he was

nt said to t

ng from the castle and bring him here to you,

mander

othed to me, I would make you the lord of everything I own. And even i

ing a page whose face is well known. Have them go under that pi

clear, Tirant mounted his horse and with one

en the two forces was fierce, and that day almost no one was l

and show your face whi

e page left, going through the orchard as cautiously as they could so that no one would see them. And he made the page go first because the people in the castle did not know Tirant. Finally they ca

our daughter mount our horses imme

n horse. Then they raced out of the castle, galloping all the way, until they were a league from camp. When night fell on

g had a fine room arranged for Tirant where he was well served. While he stayed there the king presented him with man

ssion to go back to his lord, the commander, because he h

lord, the commander, and he will be here in ten days. Help me prep

e king's hands a

t leave you until I have killed King Escariano, or taken h

king, her father, and for her, and the praises that were bestowed upon him in everyone's presence, wished

ing and his daughter, were out of that very grave danger. After bowing to the king, he praised Tirant highly. The king spoke

eave Your Grace until I have killed King Escariano or

he others were

se turned to anger, and he set out to conquer the entire kingdom. And with hi

her, and they reenforced the city, and gathered enough food to last

e King Escariano, and I'll find out what sort of situa

he council were afraid he would cross over

went directly to King Escariano. When he was i

ery highly of you, and he is certain that you are one of the wisest kings in the world. For tha

immediate

between his daughter and me, signed and with the marriage date agreed upon. And now your king has treated the matter lightly, and tried to shame me. I have told you

k, wanting to hear no

back to his lord, the

ntire conversation.

he enemy ha

come to their aid every day. I wasn't able to see t

nd decided that Tira

nd soldiers to anothe

fell, the entire king

re and fortifie

was well supplied with everything he needed. An

emicen, and was the wealthiest man in the city, left secre

er over the entire kingdom in two days. You would not have to travel the dangerous roads in fear; instead you and your men would be completely safe. If

him say that, he took it a

d as king to make you the most powerful man in my kingdom. But I can't believe that you could do wha

quickly

ible death. I will do this for Your Majesty under the following conditions: I have a daughter, and I want her to have an honorable marriage (and I will give twelve thousand ducats as her dowry) with a Jew who sells oil in your camp. If you w

be in front of the city of Tremicen on the seventeenth of the month

y went to the palace and fought, and finally they were able to get inside. They killed the King of Tremicen, his sons, and all the others. They took no prisoners except for the genteel lady. Then they attacked the castle, but they were not able to take it. King Es

ors cried bitterly. They felt that they were lost, and they

old the

soldiers here, and you still have some castles and town

f his sons killed, while his wife and other children were being held under guard. He told them how the Jew had betrayed the city, and how King Escariano had then ordered all the Jew's possessions taken. Then this Jewish traitor was placed in prison and tied up. They removed all his cl

cen's daughter to the very strong castle of Mont Tuber. The new que

He did not know whether to leave, or even if the Moors would allow him to go. While he was thinking of all this, a Christian captive from Albania came out the gate, crying and lamenting because his master had cruelly whipped him, and was making him dig in

that will not hurt you very much, and you will have to have your ears cut a little. With your help, we'll be able to take the castle of Mont Tuber where the king is. If it turns

ian captiv

my freedom again, so I'l

anked him

ight that I will not eat un

talk to the commander. With the money he had,

The commander and Tirant told them that they were not interested in any proposition; instead they wanted to avenge the deaths of the King of Tremicen

out so that Tirant, as he was talking with the men from the town, asked what all the uproar was about. Then everyone saw the Albanian runn

o pass judgment on this thie

commander to speak

is for him

t the

eople unless it's in battle. I beg you to change t

tied the urn to his neck and whipped him around the camp. The third time around, when he was in

so that no one could catch him. The townspeople took him up to the castle where the king was, and when they saw him naked and whipped, with his ears cut and bleeding,

e hands and feet, nose and ears of every man they caught, and then he would kill them. The king answered that in no way would he give him back, and that if he could catch Tirant he wou

rving us to death. If I committed a crime it was because I needed the money. But, my lord, if Your Excellency will give me permission to come and go, I will bring you news every day about

king

t: You can come and

will. The king asked some of his knights for adv

, and he'll do anything to bring about their total destructio

as said. Tirant gave him seven doubloons, three and one half reals, and some loose change, a sword and a basket of peaches, because

to believe you, that I am having a great deal of bread

e king was more pleased with them than if he had given her a villa, because he knew that the queen liked them, and he had not seen her l

tive of mine is in the service of this wicked captain, and he secretly tells me everything he does. My lord, he told me that he is having a

pleased the king a gr

f your relative t

appoint him as one of the main guards of the castle. As companions, he gave him six very loyal men who had been in his service a long time. When it was this

uld. This lasted two months, and Tirant was always coming and going, and he seldom attacked anyone. The king often made the Albanian go to Tirant's camp so that he

ng a great deal of wine brought to the city,

or dead. I took the sword and the mule from him, and it was loaded with the finest wine I have seen in many days. So I beg you, my lord, please give me perm

hat the Moor stood guard he took a large cask of wine up to the tower, and gave his

midnight. There were special liqueurs in the wine to bring on sleep. And with the pleasure of drink the guards slept so soundly that they never awoke. When the Albanian saw that the counter-round had gone by and the guards were sleeping, he took out the fire-box, and hid its light with his cape. Then he lit a straw, and put it in a niche in the wall that faced the camp. He did this three times. Tirant soon saw this signal which they had planned in advance, and he quickly left the camp with only a few men. All the other men stayed behind, ready and armed, waiting to be called, and the commander stayed with them as their captain. Because of all the water there, Tirant and his men had to pass near a tall tower, but the Albanian was making a great deal of noise with the drums, and when Tirant passed

we do with

ave them there. They're in

th the Albanian going first, they went down to the warden's chamber. When the warden saw all these men coming he got up, completely naked, took a sword in his hand and tried to defend himself. Tirant swung an axe down on his head and split it in half, and his brains fell out onto the

d went shouting through the villa and everyone woke up. The news spread through the villa, but in the castle they still did not know, except for one man who was fishing. He heard the noise and opened the windows of his chamber, and he heard many people inside the c

e attacked them and took many prisoners. When he returned, they stationed many men in the villa and others on the barbicans and in the orchards near the villa. When the commander went up to the castle he sa

and panic-grass-enough to last seven years, with a sparkling spring of water that came out of a roc

the knight I ca

e is the commander, and

he ambassador he had talked with

dor, give me your pledge of safety so that I

t ans

for a month after you surren

lute freedom. He came down from the tower, opened the door, a

his was a boy of no more than five years o

and kissed him on the mouth. Then, handing his

is made Tirant very angry, but he said nothing so that he would not offend the commander. Wh

hers who were on his galley. The governor took them all out of captivity and sent them to Tirant. When they were taken on land they lost all hope of ever being freed-until they saw t

ey, I never heard anything about her agai

knowing what she might want, Tirant went quickly. When he was there

all things that God has created obey you. That night when you brought us out of the terrible prison, I found such pleasu

the honor of ruling

ished, and he im

for a long while, as she has been with me. If I should betray her love, it would be worse than death to me. And there

her eyes, the

w it can be done: you can easily become a Moor, and then the marriage can take place. As for the maiden you s

nity would be exalted. He decided to show the queen great love so

true Christian faith, and with my help you will regain your kingdom. And for a husband I will give you a young and v

ied her tear

ion: give me baptism quickly, for you are

y had taken from King Escariano. Tirant had the queen's head uncovered, letting her hair fall loose, and it was so beautiful that

n the name of the Father, t

, in the presence of everyone, four ladies who served the q

he queen had become a Christian,

to follow her virtuous works. So I beg you to give me holy baptism, and to be my brother

t villa, and Tirant had ordered them to make a pretty cenotaph there, nicely decorated with brocade and satin cloths. The king sat on a beautiful chair covered with brocade on the cenotaph

en they came to the entrance, the captains and knights went in first, then the others followed them. When they were in the square

me freedom. Second, he has instructed me about the holy Catholic faith so that I know for a certainty that the sect of Mohammed is false and wicked, and all those who believe in it are going to total destruction and condemnation. So I beg you and command y

e's presence, remaining in his shirt. Tirant led him to the bowl, and

ptize you in the name

the Hol

zed: one of their people was called Bencarag and the other Capcani. On that day more than six thousand Moors were baptized by Tirant. The others stayed t

who were coming to King Escariano's aid. Very angry, they advanced as quickly as they could and

aily with the bad news that they were taking his entire kingdom from him, and that

King of Tremicen back to the queen, to whom they belonged. The king very generously did this, but then he begged Ti

u very much. You already know him, and you would be much b

ened to Tirant

tting myself and my possessions in your p

were Catholic Christians. After the wedding, which took place with great solemnity-as corresponds to royalty-King Escariano took possession of the entire kingdom of Tremicen, as husband of the qu

ng daily that the Moorish kings would soon take the three castles, and that they

heard of t

our lives. Let's gather all our men and se

us king, and go on back to the land you came from. Let us live according to our own law, and let the new Christians forget about this s

ught his bare sword down on the commander's head so hard tha

n into a wicked sect! This is the p

f back and did not reprimand the king because he was afraid of causing more trouble. Some peopl

t paid them all. Then they enlisted twenty-five thousand more. At the same time, four hundred forty horses and many arms arrived from

orish forces that were coming. They set up their tents in view of each other, and many embassies were sent back and forth. The Moors sent word to King Escariano, telling him and Tirant and all the other Christian

cariano's realm, and now they wer

ordship can stay here in the city with half the men while I ta

much rather go with

nt here as

made Lord Agramunt

see a red flag with my arms painted on it, have all yo

t distance. Tirant rode into a dense thicket, and he had all the men dismount and take their ease while he climbed a tall pine tree and watched the enemy come up the mountain. They set up their tents near the sprin

number of corpses stretched out on the ground were a wonder to behold. And there would have been even more if night had not fal

g that King Escariano and Tirant would be there. He thought, instead, that these must be thieving marauders. So he sent

old the

he's a crowned king, and brave enough to come down the mountain with

lowed. The battle was harsh and cruel. After they had fought for a time, and there were many deaths on both sides, King Meneador retreate

reat traitor who is their captain. His armor and the vest he wears are damask green with three stars on each side. On one side they're gold and on the other side silver. Around his neck

wer India haug

enge you even if he has te

you could see horses running around without riders. When Tirant broke his lance, he made use of his ax, and he wounded or gave death

great pain I feel, before I enter hell, you will go before me as

n on the king's head,

fell at the feet of

the ground, they str

Lower India who had

aw his brother dead,

particular, for he had brought them together. Then they rai

ed to leave during the night. The following morning the Moors prepared to give battle, but they f

nd many men died on both sides. Then the Christians retreated back i

oth sides, and again they retreated into the city. Tirant was troubled that

we should go out and

nly los

ut to fight the Christians. And that day, and many others that followed, Tirant came out the worst. When Tirant saw his men fleeing that day, and that he could not keep them in order, he went to the river. He saw th

t's troubled face, he a

captain of th

im, and all the dead bodies and banners scattered over the ground.

Moors and the wounded c

ou will be rightly condemned for this day on which you di

eard him crying this way,

his Christian dog in chains or I'll kill him.

was thinking of the princess, and he didn't notice the king until he had been wounded. He drew his sword, since his lance had been broken at the outset. And they fought for a long space of time. The king fought valiantly, and when it had lasted a long while, Tirant thrust hard at the

is lance. Then he wounded the first, the second and the third men he encountered, and knocke

ished at the way one

a window in the cas

f arms and saw that

e cri

elp our captain. He's

, and his horse had been struck many times. For this reason Tirant was forced to r

or removed, and they found many wounds i

ver the river. They brought so many oxen and camels that they could not be counted. They used these as an ob

were to place brass basins. This was done so that if a pickaxe was about to come through a wall in that room, all the brass

ing girl inside the castle was kneading flour, and she heard the basi

folks say that when basins make a noise i

e castle, and she quickly went to tell her

Moors who were digging thought no one in the castle had heard them, and they made the hole much bigger. Then they began to come out of the mine. When there were more than seventy Moors in the room, the men from the castle we

ly faint from hunger, and he deci

e gate of Tremicen and go all around the city, and you attack the center of their camp while I attack from the other side, and we'll see if we can't confuse them. If we

p went down spoke up. His name was Almedixer, and he was a ver

even be a sign of one around? The Moors will go running after them to get th

's name I promise to make you a great lord and giv

said to

et me go into the forest. And when I see the banner flying

everyone to shoe their hors

fat, and he crushed it all together and put it in sh

of the Moors seeing him. Almedixer took the pans of grease he had made

amp, bringing down tents and injuring men and horses so that it seemed like all the devils in hell were after them. They even ran into each other so that hardly an ox or camel

ite and green flag raised. The king saw th

e the Chr

. All the battles came together and made such a noise that it sounded like the earth would fall in. You could see Tirant here and there, tearing helmets from men's heads and shields from their bodies, killing and wounding and doing the most astonishing things in the world in his ever-burning fury. King Escariano w

nd hard fought, and m

eir weapons, and it w

ut Lord Agramunt, for

my fear

down to cut the straps of his helmet, but before he could do so the Moors saw their king on the ground, and it was a wonder that they did not kill Tirant. They pulled him off the king's body two times and threw him on the ground. When Lord Agramunt saw Tirant in such great danger, he rode over to him

Escariano recognized his brother, but still, when he saw Tirant in that situation, he immediately thrust his lance into his brother's back so powerfully that it went right through his armor and

ry happily, because they had been victorious on the field. They knew for a certainty that three kings had died in the battle: the Kin

very cruel and bloody. Large numbers of Moors died, but not very many Christians: for every Christian, one hundred Moors died. The reason so many Moors were killed was because they weren't as well armed as the Christians, and their horses and trappings were

tification attached so that downriver their relatives could bury them. But there were

uring this truce the Marquis of Luzana arrived; he was a servant to the King of F

t the hour of midnight, they broke camp and went on their way. Early the next morning the guards came running to the city gates to warn the captain that the Moors were leaving. When Tir

pass to conquer the villas, castles and cities there. After your lordship has taken over the

n on horseback, and eighteen thousand foot soldiers. When he had gone beyond the pass he learned that the kings had left, and each had gone back to his own land. Seeing

he people in the city learned that the Christians were so nearby, they held a council and decided to send the keys of the city to Lord Agramunt, and, very kindly, he took t

his men saw him stretched out on the ground, badly wounded, they thought he was dead. They put him on a shield and carried him to his tent, and they fought no more that day. Then Lord Agramunt made a vow to God and to the holy apostles that because

a mosque-attached to the city walls. When night fell Tirant ordered a halt to the fighting. In the morning the Moors sent word to the captain that they would surrender on condition that they be allowed to live by their own laws, and they would

the town decided to send their lady and several maidens to see if they could reach an agreement with him, since many