THE HORSE AS AN EPIC CHARACTER 



passed so many that the swiftest steed holds himself to 

 be slow. Naturally he wins the race, and a little later 

 carries Renaud across the Seine as easily as though he 

 were on land. An even better example of Bayard's 

 human understanding and of the affection between 

 him and his rider is a certain occasion when Renaud, in 

 great trouble, comes to Bayard in the stable, puts his 

 two arms about his neck, and laments. "Ah! Bayard, 

 good horse, why can't you speak ? You would have 

 comforted me in my grief." Bayard paws the ground 

 and acts as though he wished to be saddled. At other 

 times it was his custom to leap about and play with 

 Renaud, but now he hardly ventures to look at him, for 

 he sees that he is in great sorrow. 



Like Marchegai, he acts upon his own initiative. 

 Like Marchegai, he wakes up his master on the approach 

 of danger. '^ Bayard could not speak. He says neither 

 * yes ' nor ^ no.' But he raises his right foot, which is 

 big and round, and he strikes Renaud's shield a great 

 blow; from one end to the other he shatters it." On 

 two different occasions, when Renaud is fighting with 

 Ogier and Roland respectively. Bayard attacks the 

 opponents' steeds. " When Bayard saw Roland lying 

 on the ground, he threw his hind feet up into the air 

 tempestuously. He struck Roland's horse on the left 

 ear, and the animal fled terrified across the stream." 

 Once, in a combat with a Saracen, the latter's steed 

 attempted to run away. Bayard, noticing this, pursued 

 it, seized it by the mane, and brought it back. The 



131 



