Statues - Hither & Thither

aux premières fleurs du printemps
de l'an de grace mxxvii
robert le magnifique
duc de normandie maitre de falaise
un soir qu'il rentrait de la chasse
distingua arlette fille du tanneur

elle avait couleur plus fine
que fleur de rose ou bien d'épine
et blanchissait dedant le ru
qui sourd de cette fontaine
chemise doulce et fin bliau

robert s'eprend de la jolie
et au chateau il la requiert
montée sur un palefroi
au donjon elle apporte joye

noel d'apres advint un filz
guillaume
le conquérant duc de normandie
puis roi d'angleterre
après la bataille d'hastings
xiv octobre mlxvi

The birth of a myth
Robert, the 6th Duke of Normandy was on his way home from a
hunting trip, "amidst the spring's first blossom", when he noticed a
young village girl standing near a fountain. They were both aged
seventeen. Her name was Arlette. She very quickly became Robert
the Magnificent's official concubine, his "frilla". The Norman Dukes
thereafter preserved this "Danish" conjugal tradition by which their
children, be they legitimate of not, were considered as equals. Little
William was born at Christmas time in 1027.