Tyolet
Encyclopedia
Tyolet is an anonymous Breton lai
that takes place in the realm of King Arthur
. It tells the tale of a naïve young knight
who wins the hand of a maiden after a magical adventure.
The lai of Tyolet is contained in one existing manuscript: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, nouv. acq. fr. 1104, f. 15v, col. 1. This manuscript dates from the end of the 13th or beginning of the 14th century. The text is written in Francien
with some Norman
and Picard
influences.
with his widowed mother. Thanks to powers granted to him by a fairy
when he was a child, he can summon animals only by whistling. This ability is very useful, as it enables him to put food on the table.
One day out in the forest, Tyolet sees a stag
and whistles so that it will approach. However, it does not come, so he follows it. They come to a river where Tyolet sees another deer. The stag crosses the water, so instead Tyolet summons the second deer and kills it. Meanwhile, the stag across the river has transformed into a knight on horseback.
Astounded, Tyolet begins to ask the knight rather naïve questions regarding his weapons and armor. Having been sheltered his entire life, Tyolet has never seen a knight and thinks it is a wild animal. He addresses the knight as "knight beast" (Old French
chevalier beste)), a name which he later applies to himself. The knight answers all of Tyolet's questions and tells him to return to his mother who will present him with his father's armor. This happens exactly as the knight says, and Tyolet sets out for King Arthur
's castle
.
Once there, Arthur invites Tyolet to dinner, but a maiden dressed in white enters into the hall. She announces that she is the daughter of the king of Logres
, and she has come to court to find a husband. She is followed by a white hound. She tells the court that whoever chooses to follow the white hound will find a white stag guarded by seven lions. If the knight is able to bring back the stag's foot, she will marry him.
Many knights attempt this feat, but they are all stopped at a perilous river that they fear to cross in spite ot the hound. Unlike the others, however, Tyolet follows the hound all the way to the stag. He whistles, and when the stag approaches, he cuts off its foot. The lions then attack Tyolet, but he fends them off. At this point, a knight arrives on the scene. Tyolet tells his story to the stranger who then duels Tyolet. Exhausted from fighting the lions, Tyolet is unable to defeat the knight; and the knight leaves him for dead, taking the foot of the stag with him back to court.
Back at court, the knights and the maiden are suspicious of the newcomer and wait a week for the hound to return. He eventually does, and it leads Sir Gauvain
back to the body of Tyolet. Gauvain calls for a doctor and returns to court. Healed, Tyolet arrives shortly afterwards. When asked, the knight continues to declare that he is the rightful claimant, but he is eventually forced to reveal the truth when he admits that he did not kill the lions or cut off the stag's foot. He begs forgiveness of Tyolet, who grants it. Tyolet and the maiden marry and live happily ever after.
' Le Conte du Graal
. Tyolet's childhood with his widowed mother in the forest mimics that of Perceval
. Like Tyolet, Perceval has been sheltered from civilization and stumbles upon a knight. While Tyolet mistakes the knight for a beast, Perceval mistakes it for an angel
. Both heroes ask for a detailed explanation of all the knight's armor, and both heroes desire nothing more than to become a knight themselves. They both then go to King Arthur's court.
A connection also exists between Tyolet and the second continuation to Perceval by Wauchier de Denain
. In this episode, Perceval tries to win the love of a lady by following a white hound and cutting off the head of a white stag.
Several lais feature knights that transform into animals. In Marie de France
's Bisclavret
and the anonymous Melion
, a knight turns into a werewolf
. In Marie's Yonec
, a knight turns into a hawk
.
Tests to prove prowess and win a maiden's hand are also common in lais, such as Doon
and Les Deux Amants
.
The ability to summon an animal by whistling is a trait associated with the character Auberon in the medieval Huon de Bordeaux.
The color white appears many times in the text and can symbolize the purity of the maiden and her future union with Tyolet: the white horse, the white hound, the white stag, the paleness of the lady.
Breton lai
A Breton lai, also known as a narrative lay or simply a lay, is a form of medieval French and English romance literature. Lais are short , rhymed tales of love and chivalry, often involving supernatural and fairy-world Celtic motifs...
that takes place in the realm of King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
. It tells the tale of a naïve young knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
who wins the hand of a maiden after a magical adventure.
Composition and manuscripts
The actual date of composition is estimated around the beginning of the 13th century.The lai of Tyolet is contained in one existing manuscript: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, nouv. acq. fr. 1104, f. 15v, col. 1. This manuscript dates from the end of the 13th or beginning of the 14th century. The text is written in Francien
Francien
Francien is a nineteenth-century linguists' term applied to the particular langue d'oïl that was spoken in the Île-de-France region before the establishment of the French language as a standard language....
with some Norman
Norman language
Norman is a Romance language and one of the Oïl languages. Norman can be classified as one of the northern Oïl languages along with Picard and Walloon...
and Picard
Picard language
Picard is a language closely related to French, and as such is one of the larger group of Romance languages. It is spoken in two regions in the far north of France – Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy – and in parts of the Belgian region of Wallonia, the district of Tournai and a part of...
influences.
Plot summary
Tyolet tells the story of a young man who lives in the forestForest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
with his widowed mother. Thanks to powers granted to him by a fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
when he was a child, he can summon animals only by whistling. This ability is very useful, as it enables him to put food on the table.
One day out in the forest, Tyolet sees a stag
STAG
STAG: A Test of Love is a reality TV show hosted by Tommy Habeeb. Each episode profiles an engaged couple a week or two before their wedding. The cameras then follow the groom on his bachelor party...
and whistles so that it will approach. However, it does not come, so he follows it. They come to a river where Tyolet sees another deer. The stag crosses the water, so instead Tyolet summons the second deer and kills it. Meanwhile, the stag across the river has transformed into a knight on horseback.
Astounded, Tyolet begins to ask the knight rather naïve questions regarding his weapons and armor. Having been sheltered his entire life, Tyolet has never seen a knight and thinks it is a wild animal. He addresses the knight as "knight beast" (Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
chevalier beste)), a name which he later applies to himself. The knight answers all of Tyolet's questions and tells him to return to his mother who will present him with his father's armor. This happens exactly as the knight says, and Tyolet sets out for King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
.
Once there, Arthur invites Tyolet to dinner, but a maiden dressed in white enters into the hall. She announces that she is the daughter of the king of Logres
Logres
Logres is the name of King Arthur's realm in the Matter of Britain. It derives from the Welsh word Lloegr, a name of uncertain origin meaning "England"....
, and she has come to court to find a husband. She is followed by a white hound. She tells the court that whoever chooses to follow the white hound will find a white stag guarded by seven lions. If the knight is able to bring back the stag's foot, she will marry him.
Many knights attempt this feat, but they are all stopped at a perilous river that they fear to cross in spite ot the hound. Unlike the others, however, Tyolet follows the hound all the way to the stag. He whistles, and when the stag approaches, he cuts off its foot. The lions then attack Tyolet, but he fends them off. At this point, a knight arrives on the scene. Tyolet tells his story to the stranger who then duels Tyolet. Exhausted from fighting the lions, Tyolet is unable to defeat the knight; and the knight leaves him for dead, taking the foot of the stag with him back to court.
Back at court, the knights and the maiden are suspicious of the newcomer and wait a week for the hound to return. He eventually does, and it leads Sir Gauvain
Gawain
Gawain is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table who appears very early in the Arthurian legend's development. He is one of a select number of Round Table members to be referred to as the greatest knight, most notably in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight...
back to the body of Tyolet. Gauvain calls for a doctor and returns to court. Healed, Tyolet arrives shortly afterwards. When asked, the knight continues to declare that he is the rightful claimant, but he is eventually forced to reveal the truth when he admits that he did not kill the lions or cut off the stag's foot. He begs forgiveness of Tyolet, who grants it. Tyolet and the maiden marry and live happily ever after.
Structure
The poem can be broken down into the following sections:- Prologue (vv. 1-36)
- Tyolet in the forest (vv. 37-274)
- Tyolet at the court of King Arthur (vv. 275-364)
- The knights undertake the task (vv. 365-410)
- Tyolet's adventure (vv. 411-488)
- The imposter goes to court (vv. 489-574)
- Gauvain finds Tyolet who returns (vv.575-692)
- Tyolet marries the princess (vv. 693-703)
- Epilogue (v. 704)
Allusions
The beginning of this lai shares many elements with Chrétien de TroyesChrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
' Le Conte du Graal
Perceval, the Story of the Grail
Perceval, the Story of the Grail is the unfinished fifth romance of Chrétien de Troyes. Probably written between 1181 and 1191, it is dedicated to Chrétien's patron Philip, Count of Flanders...
. Tyolet's childhood with his widowed mother in the forest mimics that of Perceval
Percival
Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthur's legendary Knights of the Round Table. In Welsh literature his story is allotted to the historical Peredur...
. Like Tyolet, Perceval has been sheltered from civilization and stumbles upon a knight. While Tyolet mistakes the knight for a beast, Perceval mistakes it for an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
. Both heroes ask for a detailed explanation of all the knight's armor, and both heroes desire nothing more than to become a knight themselves. They both then go to King Arthur's court.
A connection also exists between Tyolet and the second continuation to Perceval by Wauchier de Denain
Wauchier de Denain
Wauchier de Denain was a French writer and translator in the langue d'oïl, active at the start of the 13th century. He is most notable for his continuation of Chrétien de Troyes' Holy Grail.- External links :*...
. In this episode, Perceval tries to win the love of a lady by following a white hound and cutting off the head of a white stag.
Several lais feature knights that transform into animals. In Marie de France
Marie de France
Marie de France was a medieval poet who was probably born in France and lived in England during the late 12th century. She lived and wrote at an undisclosed court, but was almost certainly at least known about at the royal court of King Henry II of England...
's Bisclavret
Bisclavret
"Bisclavret" is one of the twelve Lais of Marie de France written in the 12th century. Originally written in French, it tells the story of a werewolf who is trapped in lupine form by the treachery of his wife...
and the anonymous Melion
Melion
Melion is an anonymous Breton lai that tells the story of a knight who transforms into a werewolf for the love of his wife who betrays him.-Composition and manuscripts:The actual date of composition is estimated between 1190 and 1204....
, a knight turns into a werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
. In Marie's Yonec
Yonec
"Yonec" is one of the Lais of Marie de France, written in the twelfth century by the French poet known only as Marie de France. Yonec is a Breton lai, a type of narrative poem. The poem is written in the Anglo-Norman dialect of Old French in rhyming couplets of eight syllables each...
, a knight turns into a hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
.
Tests to prove prowess and win a maiden's hand are also common in lais, such as Doon
Doon
Doon can refer to:Geography and places:*River Doon, Scotland*Loch Doon, Scotland*Doon River, New Zealand*Doon, Iowa, USA*Doon, County Cavan, Ireland*Doon, County Offaly, Ireland*Doon, County Limerick, Ireland...
and Les Deux Amants
Les Deux Amants
"Les Deus Amanz" is a Breton lai, a type of narrative poem, written by Marie de France sometime in the 12th century. The poem belongs to what is collectively known as The Lais of Marie de France. Like the other lais in the collection, Les Deux Amants is written in Old French, in rhyming...
.
The ability to summon an animal by whistling is a trait associated with the character Auberon in the medieval Huon de Bordeaux.
Symbolism
The forest can represent the uncivilized world or the world far from the court. It also symbolizes femininity.The color white appears many times in the text and can symbolize the purity of the maiden and her future union with Tyolet: the white horse, the white hound, the white stag, the paleness of the lady.
See also
- Breton laiBreton laiA Breton lai, also known as a narrative lay or simply a lay, is a form of medieval French and English romance literature. Lais are short , rhymed tales of love and chivalry, often involving supernatural and fairy-world Celtic motifs...
- Anglo-Norman literatureAnglo-Norman literatureAnglo-Norman literature is literature composed in the Anglo-Norman language developed during the period 1066–1204 when the Duchy of Normandy and England were united in the Anglo-Norman realm.-Introduction:...
- Medieval literatureMedieval literatureMedieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages . The literature of this time was composed of religious writings as well as secular works...
- Medieval French literatureMedieval French literatureMedieval French literature is, for the purpose of this article, literature written in Oïl languages during the period from the eleventh century to the end of the fifteenth century....
External links
- Tyolet in English translation alongside Old French verse