270
relates how Renialdos (or Reinaldos), having fallen into the hands of his feudal lord and unforgiving enemy, the Emperor Charlemagne, is about to be put to death, when Charlemagne's nephew Roldán (Roland) rides up and violently interposes in the prisoner's behalf. The Emperor yields on condition that Renialdos shall leave France forever. This the hero promises to do, and makes his way to the land of the Great Khan, who receives him warmly and offers to aid him against Charlemagne. Renialdos refuses, however, to make war upon his liege lord, even though wronged by him. Then the Khan furnishes him with men to conquer the Emperor of Trebizond and to establish himself in his place. The story of the banishment of Renialdos is not told in this form in the splendid old French poem (chanson de geste) entitled Renaut de Montauban, but is an Italianized version containing elements not truly popular and traditional. The Spanish ballad, too, is in some other respects not thoroughly popular in its character. Nevertheless, it is written in the traditional ballad style, and is very fine and spirited. It is printed in full in Durán, Romancero General, Vol. I, p. 240; and in Wolf y Hofmann, Primavera y Flor de Romances, Vol. II, p. 346.
=167= 5 =Briador=: in the old French poems (Chanson de Roland, etc.) Roland's horse is called Veillantif; but the Italian poets Boiardo (in the Orlando Innamorato) and Ariosto (in the Orlando Furioso) call him Brigliadoro (= briglia d'oro, 'bridle of gold'). Pulci, however, in the Mergante Maggiore, but slightly modifies the French name, making it Vegliantin. The Spanish =Briador= is a corruption of Brigliadoro.
=167= 7 =Durlindana=: the name of Roland's sword. In the French poems the word is Durendal. We have here again the Italianized form.
=167= 9 =entena=: the yard of a lateen sail, much longer and consequently also stouter than the yard (=verga=) of a square-rigged ship.