Berengar Moran and the Faerie
Introductory
Note
“Berengar
Moran and the Faerie” seems to be a somewhat late addition to the Berengar
cycle. As with the other tales of the legendary fool, its author is unknown, but
is presumed to not be the same as the author of the bulk of the tales recorded
in the Book of Winters, though the tone is much the same.
It
is a problematic tale, not least in the mystery of where it is to be placed
chronologically in the context of the other Berengar stories.
Scholars have differed in their interpretations.
Edderman consistently places it near the middle of the cycle, in the
“Berengar Journeyman” or “Berengar Abroad” sequence, while it was
Dario’s assumption that it occurs far earlier, as part of the “prelude
tales” that come before the fool’s arrival at the great city of Osta.
Cleve, however, argues that it was not only written later than most of
the other tales, but also occurs later – after the tales that comprise
“Berengar in Hell” and chronicle his exploration of the underworld and the
places beyond.
Cleve’s
hypothesis is compelling, for a number of reasons. First, and perhaps most persuasive, is that the descriptions
of the Faerie in “Berengar Moran and the Faerie” are inconsistent with
anything in Low Kingdoms folklore or the contemporary mythos of Osta and its
neighboring states. While there is
a kind of Faerie lore in this region, the beings it describes are invariably
alien, malignant and hostile to humankind – much more so than the capricious,
reveling creatures encountered by Berengar in the tale.
The folklore does not change to reflect anything remotely like the
encounter in this story until many thousands of miles north – and while it is
possible that Berengar may have traveled that far after he departed Osta, the
evidence is sketchy at best.
Also,
Cleve argues, the ability to disguise oneself so as to go unnoticed by a troupe
of Faerie or Eldritch beings is no mean feat, and if we are to take this tale in
any way at face value it would have to come after Berengar had aquired
considerable power – such as he would have after descending into Hell and the
worlds beyond. In addition, there
is the matter of the parti-colored magic cap at the end of the tale, of which
there is no explicit mention elsewhere in the cycle. (Of course, none of the
fragmentary tales that are known to follow “Berengar in Hell” mention it
either.) This evidence, in addition
to its undisputed late authorship, seems to point to a Berengar skilled in
magic, moving through the worlds in his ongoing journeys, changed by his passage
through the underworld.
The
problem, of course, is that the Berengar in this tale does not seem especially
changed from his first appearance in the cycle as a wayward trickster motivated
by the gratification of his senses. There
is nothing in this tale, with its fairly adolescent bawdiness and simple,
repetitive structure, that reflects the wise and mature fool who drinks wine
with the Gray King in the halls of the dead, or of the somber, surreal tone that
pervades the later stories. This
may mean any of several things. “Berengar
Moran and the Faerie” may have been set down by an author who misunderstood
its placement, and reverse-engineered it to fit it in, awkwardly, with the
earlier tales; or, stranger still, it may have been written about an early time
in the fool’s career, but about events that were misinterpreted or filtered
through that author’s particular (or corrupted) understanding of the lore of
Berengar’s homelands. Or it may be something else entirely – a metaphorical
fiction to illustrate Berengar’s relationship with Eldritch forces, or simply
a story that was passed on so often it followed the inevitable mutation of
repeated tales. In any case, as
with so much surrounding this enigmatic legend, the real truth of it must remain
hidden in mystery.
The
Tale of Berengar Moran and the Faerie
It
is told that once Berengar Moran the Fool was walking in the forest at night
when he espied a power of Faerie at revel.
He hid himself and watched them some time, and thought, “Now’s my
chance to have a bit of fun.”
So
he bound himself up in branches of twigs and leaves, and put on his head his
good red cap, and went down into the glade to dance among the Faerie.
And the folk there were wondrous strange: some with beast’s skins and
some with beast’s faces, some like the trees of the wood and some like the
shadows. They turned to him and
said, “What do you in that red cap, scullion? This is our night to be Good.”
For each reveler among them had on a cap of green.
At
this Berengar said, “I had forgotten,” and put on his green cap.
And he thought to himself, “This is excellent sport! I shall go forth
and do good tonight, and no-one will be the wiser.”
So he went with the Faerie power abroad that night, herding in the stray
kine, keeping lit the travellers’ fires, and seeing the good folk safe on the
road. And if a fair girl came out of doors with a lad to cavort
under the stars, the Faerie bade them keep warm inside, and be chaste. This they
did until the Sun first showed himself over the hills.
The
next night Berengar came back to the same glade to find the Faerie power again
at revel. So again he bound himself
up in branches of twigs and leaves, and put on his good green cap, and went down
into the glade to join in the dance. And
the wondrous strange folk turned to him and said, “What do you in that green
cap, scullion? This is our night to be Bad.” For each reveler among them had
on a cap of red.
At
this Berengar said, “I had forgotten,” and put on his red cap again.
And he thought to himself, “This is excellent sport! I shall go forth
and do ill tonight, and no-one will be the wiser.” So he went again abroad
with the Faerie power, letting the kine loose from their fences, putting out the
travellers’ fires, and frightening the wits out of the good folk on the road.
And if a fair girl came out of doors with a lad to cavort under the
stars, the Faerie performed most grievous lechery with them both.
This all they did until the Sun first showed himself over the hills.
The
next night Berengar returned in his green cap, and found as he had thought all
the revelers in caps of green; and that night they went forth and did good.
And the next night they wore red caps and did ill.
So it went for eight nights, with Berengar the Fool going forth with the
Faerie power to be Good or Bad in turn. On
the ninth night, Berengar came to the glade in his green cap, thinking it would
be a night for Good as it had been the first.
At
this the wondrous strange folk of the Faerie power looked at him and said,
“What do you in that cap, scullion? This is the ninth night, when we are nor
Good nor Bad, but each himself in his own nature.” For no reveler among them
wore any cap at all, but showed his true being unclad; those with beast’s
skins and those with beast’s faces, those like the trees of the wood and those
like the wood’s shadows, all of them puissant and luminous and strange.
At
this Berengar said, “I had forgotten,” and doffed his cap.
But the Lord of the Faerie, in the shape of a great black lion, saw him
and said, “No, you had not forgotten. You
are not one of the Power, but a mortal Fool in disguise among us.
Now you must make a choice: either slough off mortality and stay forever
in our company, or be eaten now by me.”
Berengar
said, “I cannot choose between them, Lord. The revels of the Faerie are good
sport indeed, but not forever; and I think my death is not here.
But you may decide for me, an you catch me!’
At
this the Lord of the Faerie sprang at Berengar, and Berengar seized him by the
ballocks; at which the Lord of the Faerie gave a great roar and flew up into the
sky, bearing the Fool with him. Far
over the woods and fields they flew, with Berengar clinging for his life behind,
but whooping with laughter all the while.
At
length the Lord of the Faerie lighted on a high hill, where Berengar let go of
his ballocks, and they both rested some time; for the long flight had tired them
both. And the Lord of the Faerie
said, “Berengar, I think you have bested me.
The Sun will soon show himself over the Eastern hills, and we of the
Power must be away. I am too weary
to eat you tonight. Go your way
back among mortals, and out of the woods; but if ever I find you troubling our
revels again, I will surely eat you. Farewell,
and goodnight!”
So the Lord of the Faerie flew away before Berengar had a chance to thank him, and soon enough the Sun had come up to drive all of the Faerie into their secret places. But when Berengar looked for his two caps, he found he had nor red nor green ones, but one cap, red on one side and green on the other. And he found that ever after, while he wore it, whatever Good or Bad he did, no-one would be the wiser; but whether he did Good or Bad, while he wore his cap he could not tell which it was. And so it was that the Faerie power had a jest at the worse of the Fool.