From T.H. White's The Once and Future King, the scene where the King has sent his Master Huntsman, Twyti, to hunt the king's boarshare from the Forest Sauvage. After a long and arduous hunt, the boar is finally killed by Robin Hood, but not before it breaks the back of one of the Twyti's faithful hounds who was gored saving Twyti's life.
Master Twyti drew one leg slowly from under the boar, stood up, took hold of his knee with his right hand, moved inquiringly in various directions, nodded to himself and stretched his back straight. Then he picked up his spear without saying anything and limped over to Beaumont. He knelt down beside him and took his head on his lap. He stroked Beaumont's head and said, "Hark to Beaumont. Softly, Beaumont, mon amy. Oyez a Beaumont the valiant. Swef, le douce Beaumont, swef, swef." Beaumont licked his hand but could not wag his tail. The huntsman nodded to Robin, who was standing behind, and held the hound's eyes with his own. He said, "Good dog, Beaumont the valiant, sleep now, old friend Beaumont, good old dog." Then Robin's falchion let Beaumont out of this world, to run free with Orion and roll among the stars.
I've read that scene a dozen times or more over the course of the years and it always makes me cry. I'm not sure why - maybe it was the blind adoring love of the dog for its master or maybe it's because I, too, want to run free with Orion and roll among the stars.
Book of the Hunt 15th C. France
Master Twyti drew one leg slowly from under the boar, stood up, took hold of his knee with his right hand, moved inquiringly in various directions, nodded to himself and stretched his back straight. Then he picked up his spear without saying anything and limped over to Beaumont. He knelt down beside him and took his head on his lap. He stroked Beaumont's head and said, "Hark to Beaumont. Softly, Beaumont, mon amy. Oyez a Beaumont the valiant. Swef, le douce Beaumont, swef, swef." Beaumont licked his hand but could not wag his tail. The huntsman nodded to Robin, who was standing behind, and held the hound's eyes with his own. He said, "Good dog, Beaumont the valiant, sleep now, old friend Beaumont, good old dog." Then Robin's falchion let Beaumont out of this world, to run free with Orion and roll among the stars.
I've read that scene a dozen times or more over the course of the years and it always makes me cry. I'm not sure why - maybe it was the blind adoring love of the dog for its master or maybe it's because I, too, want to run free with Orion and roll among the stars.
Book of the Hunt 15th C. France
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