Belle Madeleine
Unbeknownst to Belle Madeleine, the marchioness wrote to the marquess one day:
“Your wife is a naughty girl. She runs after the gallants. She doesn't take care of your two daughters and makes them cry twenty times a day."
The marquess replied secretly to his mother:
“Mother, be patient. Take care of my two daughters. Take care of them well. The war will end. Expect that when I return, my naughty wife and her lovers will have a bad time."
But one day the marquess wrote:
“Mother, the war is over. In seven weeks I will be back at the castle."
Then the marchioness thought:
“Now is the right time to quarrel my son to death with his naughty wife."
With this thought, the marchioness called Belle Madeleine, her two daughters, and a valet who was not worth much money.
“Listen, slut. Listen to your husband's letter; you won't read it. Your husband writes to me: “My wife is a naughty girl. She runs after the gallants. Who proves to me that his two daughters are mine? Mother, make this scoundrel saw off both arms. Then throw her out, and her two bastards with her." — Valet, you heard. Obey."
La Belle Madeleine submitted like a saint. The servant saw off her arms, and his two daughters each picked up one. This done, all three left by the grace of God.
Finally, the marquess returned from the war.
“Hello, mother. Where is my wife? Where are my two daughters?"
"My son, your naughty wife has gone to wander the world with a gallant and his two bastards."
Then the marquess became sad, very sad. However, the poor man was wary. He tried to question the servants and valets of the castle. But no one dared to speak, for fear of the marchioness.
One spring day, the marquess was thinking at his window. He was sad, very sad. He was thinking of his two daughters. He was thinking of Belle Madeleine.
On the shutter, three pretty swallows sang their song.
— “Swallows, pretty swallows, tell me if my mother lied to me.
— Tiri tiri tiri. Marquis, your mother lied to you.
— Swallows, pretty swallows, tell me where my two daughters are. Tell me where my wife is. Tell me where Belle Madeleine is.
— Tiri tiri tiri. »
From the shutter, the three pretty swallows flew away, never to return, never.
Then the marquis went down to the stable, untied his big black horse, put the bridle and saddle on him, and set off at full gallop.
While all this was happening, Beautiful Madeleine was passing away by the grace of God. She was going with her two daughters, carrying their poor mother's two arms. Fortunately, the good people took pity on them, and never refused them alms.
The three of them walked like this for a long, long time. One evening, they arrived at the edge of a river.
At the edge of the river, three old poor people were saying to each other:
“How will we manage to cross the river?"
"Poor people, said Belle Madeleine, I am strong. Get on my back. I will pass you in turn."
Belle Madeleine took one of the three old poor people on her back and carried him across the water.
“Thank you, Belle Madeleine. Did you find me very heavy to carry?"
"Poor thing, I found you heavier to carry than I can say."
"Belle Madeleine, I am Saint John. Your charity will be repaid to you."
Belle Madeleine went back to get another poor old man and carried him across the water.
“Thank you, Belle Madeleine. Did you find me very heavy to carry?"
—"Poor thing, I found you less heavy to carry than your companion."
"Belle Madeleine, I am Saint Peter. Your charity will be repaid to you."
Belle Madeleine returned to fetch the last of the three old poor people and carried him to the other side of the water.
“Thank you, Belle Madeleine. Did you find me very heavy to carry?"
"Poor thing, I found you lighter to carry than I can say."
"Belle Madeleine, I am the Good Lord. Your charity will be repaid to you. Now go get your two daughters."
Belle Madeleine obeys.
Then the Good Lord said to the two girls:
“Give me your mother’s arms."
In an instant, both arms were attached to the body.
Source: La Belle Madeleine, from the French book Contes populaires de la Gascogne, tome 2, published in 1886
Hello, my name is Vincent Celier.
I am writing translations of folk tales that I found in public domain French books, so that people who do not understand French may enjoy them too.
The marchioness was not sure that her son would believe her if his wife and daughters were in the castle when he returned from the war. That is why she got rid of them before the return of her son.
Belle Madeleine is lucky to meet Saint John, Saint Peter, and the Good Lord: she got back her two arms!
As we are leaving Hungary and returning to Canada today, we winterized the vineyard house. Mostly we need to make sure that there will be no freezing water that would break some equipment.
Also, Kati trimmed the "French plant" that was still full of red flowers.
We then left the vineyard house around three in the afternoon and went to Kati's mother's house. The children and grandchildren of Kati had left today early in the morning.
Tomorrow, the shuttle that will bring us to Budapest airport will arrive at 5:20 in the morning!
It will take us almost 20 hours door to door from Pécs to Calgary in Alberta. We will be very tired, but because of the jetlag, we will not sleep well during the night, unfortunately.
Tomorrow's post will be delayed.
-- Vincent Celier