There were gathered shepherds all,
   Martin, Esmeric, and Hal,
   Aubrey, Robin, great and small. 
   Saith the one, “Good fellows all,
   God keep Aucassin the fair,
   And the maid with yellow hair,
   Bright of brow and eyes of vair. 
   She that gave us gold to ware. 
   Cakes therewith to buy ye know,
   Goodly knives and sheaths also. 
   Flutes to play, and pipes to blow,
      May God him heal!”

Here speak they, say they, tell they the Tale: 

When Aucassin heard the shepherds, anon he bethought him of Nicolete, his sweet lady he loved so well, and he deemed that she had passed thereby; then set he spurs to his horse, and so came to the shepherds.

“Fair boys, God be with you.”

“God bless you,” quoth he that had more words to his tongue than the rest.

“Fair boys,” quoth Aucassin, “say the song again that anon ye sang.”

“Say it we will not,” quoth he that had more words to his tongue than the rest, “foul fall him who will sing it again for you, fair sir!”

“Fair boys,” quoth Aucassin, “know ye me not?”

“Yea, we know well that you are Aucassin, out damoiseau, natheless we be not your men, but the Count’s.”

“Fair boys, yet sing it again, I pray you.”

“Hearken! by the Holy Heart,” quoth he, “wherefore should I sing for you, if it likes me not?  Lo, there is no such rich man in this country, saving the body of Garin the Count, that dare drive forth my oxen, or my cows, or my sheep, if he finds them in his fields, or his corn, lest he lose his eyes for it, and wherefore should I sing for you, if it likes me not?”

“God be your aid, fair boys, sing it ye will, and take ye these ten sols I have here in a purse.”

“Sir, the money will we take, but never a note will I sing, for I have given my oath, but I will tell thee a plain tale, if thou wilt.”

“By God,” saith Aucassin, “I love a plain tale better than naught.”

“Sir, we were in this place, a little time agone, between prime and tierce, and were eating our bread by this fountain, even as now we do, and a maid came past, the fairest thing in the world, whereby we deemed that she should be a fay, and all the wood shone round about her.  Anon she gave us of that she had, whereby we made covenant with her, that if ye came hither we would bid you hunt in this forest, wherein is such a beast that, an ye might take him, ye would not give one limb of him for five hundred marks of silver, nor for no ransom; for this beast is so mighty of medicine, that, an ye could take him, ye should be healed of your torment, and within three days must ye take him, and if ye take him not then, never will ye look on him.  So chase ye the beast, an ye will, or an ye will let be, for my promise have I kept with her.”

“Fair boys,” quoth Aucassin, “ye have said enough.  God grant me to find this quarry.”