16 - The Rape of the She-Wolf

Summary

Lady Hersint chased him into the burrow, but only her front part went in, and this would be a great cause of shame for her. She could neither move forward nor go back, and Reynard took full advantage of this situation. He rushed out of another hole in the burrow, jumped up onto his kinswoman and coupled with her. Isengrim saw this happening before his eyes, and it broke his heart.

“Dearest,” said Reynard, “from now on, you should stay with me. In God's name no one knows about it, and for the sake of your reputation I shall keep quiet about it.”

The shame felt by Lady Hersint was enormous. In her fury she bit on stones, but her great strength could not help her. At this point Reynard saw Isengrim coming, wild with anger. “I think I had better get away,” said Reynard, and went back into the burrow.

Isengrim had his sons with him, and a lot of fearsome animals came, too, and Isengrim was able to testify to them that his beloved wife had been raped. Isengrim wept, and Hersint was pulled free by her back legs. “Reynard had tricked me countless times,” declared Isengrim, “but I could let them all pass except for this shame, which I was forced to see. That is just too much.”

Reynard came to the door of the lair and said: “I have done you no harm. My kinswoman wanted to come in and I welcomed her. My patron can testify that I did nothing to him.”

“In all truth,” replied his relative and patron, “I can no longer be your sponsor. I have no choice but to be your enemy, and your death shall be by my hand.”

“No, no, my patron,” said Reynard, “that would not be a sensible move. You would not get away with it, and you would spend all your time in chains.”

“My lady Hersint,” said Isengrim, “in truth it has been seven years since I first took you as my wife. Many fine beasts from both of our families were present, and since then we have been completely happy together. But now Reynard has brought shame upon us—alas that we ever accepted him as a family member. I shall regret that forever.”