22 - The Elephant and the Camel

Summary

Reynard, who rarely showed any loyalty to anyone, pressed the king to confer upon his friend, the elephant, lordship over a country. “Granted,” said the king. “Let him rule Bohemia.” This pleased the elephant very much, and the king gave it to him to hold in fief in accordance with the law. The good servant of the king set off at once. He had come poor to the court and was now a prince. The elephant traveled to the land where the king had sent him and announced to the people the surprising news that he was now their overlord. For this he was severely beaten and had to go back in sorrow to where he came from. They might easily have wounded him so severely that he would not have survived.

Having had the elephant made ruler of a country, Reynard thought that he still hadn't exercised enough malice. Again he made an urgent request to the king about the camel, who had been one of those judging him. “She should also play a useful role,” he said. “Make her the abbess at Erstein in Alsace, and this will save your soul, because they send up a lot of prayers.” The king acceded gladly to the request and granted her with his right hand a role that would be financially very beneficial to her. Certainly she saw herself as a wealthy and powerful abbess, so she took her leave and hurried to take up the post. She skipped gaily across the courtyard and was very grateful to Reynard for the gift of this important position. It would, however, lead to trouble for her. When she reached the convent, all those who had heard the news hurried along. They looked at her and immediately wanted to know who she was. “I shall give you an honest answer,” she said. “The mighty king has granted me authority over this place. I shall be the abbess.” The nuns were so angry about this that the camel was nearly killed. The nuns closed in on her, and the abbess was beaten to within an inch of her life. They used their sharp writing implements to make wounds on her body, and it put her in a great deal of danger.