Verses by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Julia Kalman
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Near the lion’s garden, King Francis awaits,
To witness a noble battle with beasts in fates.
Around him gather the great of the land,
On the high balcony, ladies in merry band.
The king signals with a wave, a gate springs apart,
A lion steps forward, measured, a gentle start,
Silent, he surveys around, yawns long, his mane he shakes,
Stretching it, muscles displayed, he calmly takes.
The king signals again, another gate swings wide,
Out leaps with a savage leap, a tiger in wild stride,
Spotting the lion, a loud roar,
Wags its tail, a circle it explores,
Snorting fiercely, then lies down,
Next to him.
The king signals once more,
And from two opened gates, leopards pour,
Eagerly, with a valiant spirit, they throw,
Themselves onto the tiger below.
But he, with his fierce claws, grabs them tight –
The lion roars,
Rises in a might,
Creatures agitated,
And around, burning with desire to tear each other apart,
They settle.
A fair hand drops from the edge of the balcony,
A glove, right in the middle, between tiger and lion.
And Lady Cunigunde, mocking, with glee,
Said then to Sir Delorges in derision:
“If your love is as fervent as you swear every time,
Prove it now,
Go, retrieve the glove that’s mine!”
The knight runs, swiftly descends,
Into the fearsome enclosure, treads surely, without fright,
Through the midst of those monsters,
With daring fingers, he lifts the glove’s delicate light.
With amazement and dread,
Ladies and knights gaze upon him,
Yet, very calmly,
He brings the glove back.
Praises echo from every mouth,
Cunigunde looks at him with a gentle warmth,
Promising that luck is near. –
But the glove, he tosses before her face:
“My lady, a gratitude like this I will no longer chase!”
And leaves it at that.
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Julia Kalman 