THE DRAGON PRINCE
In the High Middle Ages, the most renowned competitions of poetry in all of France were held at the courst of Eleanor of Aquitanine. Once a yaer, celebrated troubadours gathered there to show off their arts, and a winner of this poetic contest would be announced.
On one occasion, the winner was an unknown and very handsome man. He refused to give his name or say where he came from, despite the entreaties of Eleanor herself. There was a strange aura of mystery surronding this anonymous traoubadour. Together with his kindness and beauty, this soon made him one of the favorites amoung the ladies of the court.
Griselda, a young and wistful maiden, the youngest daughter of the Lord of Foix, fell passionately in love with the stranger. Moved by the maidens entreaties, the troubadour agreed to marry her in secret and take her to his home. He made one condition: Griselda shoudl never try to see him other than when he chose, and she shoudl never try to discover his identiy. The lady, deeply in love, promised to comply with this strange condition. It seemed little to ask in exchange for being about to remain with her loved one.
One night, the young Griselda had fallern asleep in the arms of her beloved in Eleanor of Aquitaine's castle, where she lived. Suddenlt, on opening her eyes, she found herself in an unfamiliar room. It was a luxurious place, adorned with silk and precious stones, and beside her lay her husband smiling benignly at her.
"You are in my mansion, which belongs to you," he said. "You may give orders to my servants and do whatever you please. There are stables with fine horses at your desposal, and huntsmen and hawks for hunting. You may come and go as you wish. You are my lady and wif, and all that is mine is yours. There are maidens ready to serve you and to carry out your every whim, dancers and musicians to entertian you, and jewels and silks to adorn you. If you need anything, tell me and I will give it to you."
"I only wish for you love, my lord," replied the young woman bewildered.
"That is good, my love, but do not ever forget your promise."
"Greiselda, full of happiness, demonstrated her compliance by flinging herself into the strong arms of her beloved husband. For a while this gentle lady kept her promise and believed she was in paradise. Her troubadour-knight husband, who was kind and passsionate, spent most of his time with his wife. Occasionally, he would disappear into a locked room, but geiselda faithful to her promise, did not ask him any questions.
Unfortunately, her curiousity gradually got the better of her and one day she decided to find out the secret of her myseterious knight. She crept up to the door of the forbidden room, which he had left ajar, and spied through the opening. Aghast, she watched as her husband turned into a huge dragon with golden scales and powerful wings.
She could not prevent a cry of utter horror escaping from her lips. The Dragon Prince, thus revealed, wheeled around and saw his horrified wife in the doorway. Deeply hurt by her broken promise, the dragon bade his servents remove Griselda immediantly to the court of Aquitaine, and never again did he return to see her.
The lady could never forget her beloved, and not a day went by without recalling the months of supreme happiness and bliss beside the disguised dragon.
Preniten and full of grief, she wrote down her adventure, which is how the famous story of the dragon prince foudn its way to us.
THE END. ^_^
*lets out a sigh. This story is short to read even though it appears long. But it sure was a lot to type!! >_< Hope you guys liked it though. Chat about it or other things in this topic! ^_^
