Amelia Bauerle (1873-1916) and Evelyn Paul (1883-1963)
Scottish Tales / Aucassin and Nicolette (1911)Stylistically, Aucassin and Nicolette combines elements of many Old French genres, such as the chanson de geste, lyric poems, and courtly novels, all of them literary forms already well-established by the 12th century. Yet it is the only known chantefable. The story tells how Aucassin, son of Count Garin of Beaucaire, so loved Nicolette, a Saracen maiden who had been sold to the Viscount of Beaucaire, baptized and adopted by him, that he had forsaken knighthood and chivalry and even refused to defend his father's territories from enemies. Accordingly his father orders the Viscount to send Nicolette away, but the Viscount locks her in a tower of his palace instead. Aucassin is imprisoned by his father to prevent him from going after his beloved. But Nicolette escapes, flees to the forest outside the gates, and there, in order to test Aucassin's fidelity, awaits his arrival. When he is released from prison, Aucassin hears of Nicolette's hiding place, and seeks her bower. The lovers, united, resolve to leave the country. They board a ship and are driven to the kingdom of Torelore, where they are captured by pirates and separated...