Graelent

Graelent is an Old French Breton lai, named after its protagonist. It is one of the so-called Anonymous Lais and draws on Marie de France's Lanval.

The plot is similar to that of Marie de France's lai of Lanval.

Graelent, a knight of Brittany, rebuffs amorous advances from the queen, who retaliates by manipulating the king against Lanval. Graelent's wages are suspended, reducing him to poverty. Graelent dejectedly rides into the forest, and while tracking a white hind (bisse blance v. 201; Mod. Fr.: ), he stumbles upon a beautiful lady bathing in the fountain, attended by two maidens. Graelent sneaks up and clutches the articles of clothing she has disrobed upon a bush. The lady cries out his name, demanding their return. Graelent does not comply, and bargains for her to emerge from the fountain, and asks for her love.

She is at first scornful at the suggestion, but Graelent woos her with words, and in a quick turnabout she is more than willing to become his amour, and even reveals this was her design in the first place. She would appear to him whenever he wills it, but the relationship must be kept a strict secret, and the couple are to abide in the country for one year while avoiding detection from comrades. Graelent receives from the lady a magnificent war horse, and large sums of gold and silver. He repays his debt to the burgess's hostel where he stayed, and begins entertaining many knights, regaling them with food and harpers' music. He spends other hours of the day and nights with his lady.

Graelent is now extricated from financial difficulties, but another ordeal is awaiting.

A year goes by, and at the king's annual Pentecost feast, all present are expected to praise the beauty of the queen as being greater than any other that they know. Graelent refuses, blurting out that he knows a woman thirty times as beautiful. The enraged queen dares him to produce this woman on pain of punishment (on count of calumny), and the king orders him thrown in prison. The lady does not appear at his whim as she has always done before, and Graelent is struck by remorse, but gains no reprieve until the next Pentecostal feast, when he is given a last chance to ride out and find his lady. Graelent returns empty-handed, and resigns himself to trial, but just then beautiful damsels arrive in court, with the message that the lady will soon be present to acquit Graelent of his veracity.

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