NOTES FOR CHAPTER 1 – OLIVER AND FIERABRAS

The battle of Oliver and Fierabras (which means “Iron Arm”) is a prototype “Knight-and-giant” story. It appears in any number of variations, and at least one scholarly source[1] used the presence or absence of Fierabras as a tool to categorize the larger threads of the Charlemagne epic.

This is probably a good time to mention the missing relics. Caxton’s version of the story includes a variety of holy relics in the Tower. Being a reader with little real-life interest in bits of the True Cross, I omitted this from my version. This was a harder choice than it might appear, and it’s only fair to admit the details since I’ve now brought it up.

The search for the relics is part of the “frame story” that fits this tale into the larger Carolingian cycle. Tales set earlier on focus on how the relics were found (proving that Charles was a tool of God), and how he gave them to the Pope (which established him as a champion of the church).[2] Another installment shows the Saracens invading Italy, slaying the Pope,[3] and stealing the relics while they had the chance. It’s now been years, but the King is moving at last . . .

All very interesting, but the story had to come first. I’m a 21^st Century American. You are likely the same. I found the relics more distracting than beneficial. Since you might too, they had to go. Wherever you see the word “treasures”, you’ll know what appeared in the original.

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[1]  My apologies, but I just don’t remember the cite.

 

[2]  Coincidentally, this also ties the fictional Charles to the historic reign of Charlemagne.

[3]  And almost slaying the King. He only survived because a young squire named Ogier threw himself into harm’s way and held the King’s standard (the Oriflamme) high. Aloys had contrived to steal the credit, but another young squire stepped up and refused to let the lie go unchallenged. (Even as a boy, Roland just couldn’t keep his mouth shut.) Thus was Ogier made a knight, given Cortana, his magic sword, and at last relieved of the death sentence to which he’d been earlier condemned.


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