Reynard the Fox by Unknown
"Reynard the Fox" is a medieval fable that revolves around the cunning and deceitful character of Reynard, a fox who stands trial for a series of offenses against other animals in a kingdom presided over by Noble, the lion-king. The story begins during the Feast of the Pentecost, where various animals, including Isengrim the wolf and Bruin the bear, present their grievances against Reynard, highlighting his treachery and violent acts. Despite the overwhelming evidence of his misdeeds, Reynard skillfully manipulates the court's perception, presenting himself as a victim of lies and deceit.
Throughout the narrative, Reynard employs trickery to escape punishment and ultimately convinces the king to pardon him, even gaining favor and a position of power. This fable explores themes of betrayal, justice, and the subversion of power dynamics, depicting how a seemingly weaker character can outsmart those in authority. The interactions among the animals reflect broader social commentary on morality, privilege, and the complexities of truth and falsehood in a medieval context. The tale's enduring nature has allowed it to be reinterpreted in various cultures, maintaining its relevance across generations.
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Reynard the Fox by Unknown
First transcribed: c. 1175-1250 (English translation, 1481)
Type of work: Short fiction
Type of plot: Satire
Time of plot: Middle Ages
Locale: Europe
Principal characters
Reynard , the foxNoble , the lion, king of beastsIsengrim , the wolfTibert , the catBruin , the bearOther Animals and Birds ,
The Story:
When Noble, the great lion-king, holds court during the Feast of the Pentecost, all the animals tell the king of their grievances against Reynard the fox. The list of sins and crimes is almost as long as the list of animals present. First to complain is Isengrim the wolf, whose children have been made blind by the crafty fox. Panther tells how Reynard promised the hare that he would teach him his prayers, but when the hare stood in front of Reynard as he was instructed, Reynard grabbed him by the throat and tried to kill him. Reynard had approached Chanticleer the rooster disguised as a monk, saying that he would never eat flesh again, but when Chanticleer relaxed his vigilance over his flock and believed the villain, Reynard grabbed Chanticleer’s children and ate them.
So the complaints go on, with only Tibert the cat and Grimbard the brock (badger) speaking in Reynard’s defense. These two remind the king of the crimes committed by the complainers, but the king is stern: Reynard must be brought to court to answer for his sins. Bruin the bear is sent to bring the culprit in. Bruin is strong and brave, and he promises the king that he will not be fooled by Reynard’s knavery or flattering tongue.
When Bruin arrives at Reynard’s castle and delivers the king’s message, Reynard welcomes the bear and promises to accompany him back to court. In fact, Reynard says, he wishes they were already at court, for he has abstained from meat and eaten so much of a new food, called honeycombs, that his stomach is swollen and uncomfortable. Bruin falls into the trap and begs to be taken to the store of honey. Reynard pretends to be reluctant to delay their trip to court, but at last he agrees to show Bruin the honey. The wily fox leads Bruin into a trap in some tree trunks, where the poor bear is set upon by humans and beaten unmercifully. He escapes with his life and sadly makes his way back to court, mocked by the taunts of his betrayer.
Enraged at the insult to his personal messenger, the king sends Tibert the cat to tell Reynard to surrender himself at once, under penalty of death. Tibert, however, fares no better than Bruin. He is tricked into jumping into a net trap by the promise of a feast on mice and rats. He, too, escapes and returns to the court, no longer a defender of the traitorous Reynard. Next, the king sends Grimbard the brock to bring the fox in. He is also warmly received by Reynard, who promises to accompany him to court. This time the evil fox actually keeps his promise, confessing all of his sins to the brock as they journey.
At court, Reynard is confronted by all his accusers. One by one, they tell of his horrible crimes against them. Reynard defends himself against them all, saying that he is a loyal and true subject of the king and the object of many lies and deceits. The king is unmoved and sentences Reynard to death. On the gallows, the fox confesses his sins, saying that he is the more guilty because he did not steal from want, since money and jewels he has in great plenty. Hearing Reynard speak of his treasure, the greedy king wants it for himself, and he asks Reynard where the jewels are hidden. The fox says that he will gladly tell him the hiding place, for the treasure has been stolen in order to save the king’s life. Crafty Reynard tells a story about a treasure that the other animals are going to use to depose the king and make Bruin the ruler in his place. In order to save the life of his sovereign, Reynard says, he has stolen the treasure from the traitors and now has it in his possession. The foolish king, believing the smooth liar, orders Reynard released from the gallows and made a favorite at court. Bruin the bear and Isengrim the wolf are arrested for high treason.
Reynard says that he himself cannot show the king the treasure because he has to make a pilgrimage to Rome to ask the pope to remove a curse from him. For his journey he is given the skin of the bear and the shoes of the wolf, leaving those two fellows in terrible pain. The king then puts his mail around Reynard’s neck and a staff in his hand and sends him on his way. Kyward the hare and Bellin the ram accompany Reynard on the pilgrimage. They stop at the fox’s castle to bid his wife good-bye, and there Reynard tricks the hare, kills him, and eats all but the head. He sends the hare’s head back to the king with the ram, that stupid animal thinking he is carrying a letter for the monarch. The king is so furious when he sees the hare’s head that he gives the ram and all of his lineage to the wolf and the bear to atone for the king’s misjudgment of them.
Complaints against the fox again pour into the king’s ear. At last he determines to lay siege to Reynard’s castle until the culprit is captured—this time there will be no mercy. Grimbard the brock, however, hurries to the castle and warns Reynard of the plot. The crafty fellow sets out immediately for the court, where he will plead his case before the king. On the way, he again confesses to the brock that he is guilty of many sins, but he makes them seem mild in comparison with those of the animals now accusing him. To the king also he confesses that he has sinned, but he denies the worst of the crimes laid to his doing. His plea is that he would not have surrendered voluntarily had he been so guilty. His words are so moving that most of his accusers keep silent, fearing that the king will again believe Reynard and punish those who would condemn him. Only the wolf and the bear hold fast to their accusations. With the help of his aunt, the ape, Reynard once more excuses himself in the king’s eyes and makes the monarch believe that it is the injured who are the guilty. Again Reynard talks of lost jewels of great value, jewels that he will search for and present to the king.
Only Isengrim the wolf will not accept Reynard’s lies. He challenges the fox to a fight. Reynard would be hard put to fight with the wolf, except that Isengrim’s feet are still sore from Reynard’s taking of his shoes some time before. To help Reynard further, the ape shaves off the fox’s fur and covers him with oil so that the wolf cannot get hold of him. Even so, Isengrim is on the way to defeating the fox when he listens to Reynard’s promises of all the rewards Isengrim will receive if he lets Reynard go. At last the king stops the fight and orders all the animals to a great feast. There he forgives Reynard for all of his sins after taking the scamp’s promise that he will commit no more crimes against his fellow animals. The king makes Reynard high bailiff of the country, thus setting him above all the others. From that time on, the mighty of the forest have bowed to the cunning of the weak.
Bibliography
Bellon, Roger. “Trickery as an Element of the Character of Renart.” Forum for Modern Language Studies 22, no. 1 (January, 1986): 34-52. Examines Reynard the Fox in terms of its use of archetypal elements of the medieval fable. Provides insight into the social significance of the trickster character.
Blake, N. F. “Reflections on William Caxton’s Reynard the Fox.” Canadian Journal of Netherlandic Studies 4, no. 1 (May, 1983): 69-76. Provides a thorough exploration of Caxton’s translation of the medieval classic and discusses the work’s place within the context of the Germanic literary tradition and the traditions of the folk narrative and the European fable.
Owen, D. D. R., trans., ed. The Romance of “Reynard the Fox.” New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. In addition to the text of the work, the editor’s notes and introduction offer a comprehensive overview of the fable, its history, its place in medieval art, and its revelations about medieval society.
Varty, Kenneth. “Animal Fable and Fabulous Animal.” Bestia: Yearbook of the Beast Fable Society 3, no. 1 (May, 1991): 5-14. Discussion of European beast fables considers Reynard the Fox within its historical, aesthetic, and ideological context. Also considers the evolution of the animal in European folklore.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. Reynard, Renart, Reinaert, and Other Foxes in Medieval England: The Iconographic Evidence—A Study of the Illustrating of Fox Lore and “Reynard the Fox” Stories in England During the Middle Ages, Followed by a Brief Survey of Their Fortunes in Post-Medieval Times. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 1999. An authority on the Reynard tales presents evidence of the story in England prior to its translation by William Caxton. Uses many illustrations of Reynard and other foxes that were created in the medieval period in arguing that these fictional English animals descended from French and Dutch representations of Reynard. Includes more than two hundred illustrations.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗, ed. Reynard the Fox: Social Engagement and Cultural Metamorphoses in the Beast Epic from the Middle Ages to the Present. New York: Berghahn Books, 2000. Collection of essays examines how the tale of Reynard has been retold in numerous countries and through various media. Describes how these legends reflect the cultural backgrounds of their tellers.