Tristan the Courtier

Summary

LORDS, YOU HAVE HEARD the tale of Tristan as they tell it in Brittany, where men say that was a knight of Cornwall and Brittany only, and never journeyed to Arthur's court. But other men, the men of Logres, have tales of the great exploits of Tristan in their country and of his encounters and friendships with the foremost knight of the Round Table, of which he was a member; and they say that the tale of the men of Brittany is not proven and certain. They say that Tristan was indeed born in sorrow, as the Breton tale says; and that it was at the court of his uncle, King Mark, that he was brought up. And they agree that he killed the Morholt, and so freed Cornwall from its fearful tributes of young men and girls. Of the poison on the Morholt's sword they also tell, and how Tristan became Tantris and sailed, without oar or rudder into Ireland, to seek healing at the hands of those who hated him. And they say that these were his adventures after he came to Ireland.

How Sir Tristan and Iseult The Fair Fell Greatly in Love

And so it happened that Tristan landed in Ireland near the castle where Anguish, king of Ireland, was, with his queen; and he took his harp, despite his sickness, and played such a song as they had never heard in Ireland before. And the king sent for him, and asked his name; and he said that it was Tantris, and that he had been wounded fighting for the sake of his lady. And because of his marvellous playing on the harp, the king as a great favour had Tantris put in his daughter's care, because she was expert in surgery. And when she had examined him, she found that there was poison in the bottom of his wound, and so she healed him in a little while. And for this Tantris fell greatly in love with Iseult the Fair, for she was at that time the most beautiful woman in the world.