Translation of Quote

[Dark Muse]

This appears at the beginning of The Ebony Tower by John Fowles, but the book does not offer a translation of it, so I was wondering if anyone here could tell me what it says.

Et par forez longues et less
Par leus estranges et sauvages
Et passa mainz felons passages
Et maint peril et maint destroit
Tant qu'il vint au santier tot droit....

~Chretien De Troyes, Yvain

[kiki1982]

Ok, I'll take a shot at it. The rest, who knows French too, can also lend a hand ;)

Et par forez longues et less
Par leus estranges et sauvages
Et passa mainz felons passages
Et maint peril et maint destroit
Tant qu'il vint au santier tot droit....

I think it says in French:

Et par forêts longues et laids
Par lieus étranges et sauvages
Et passa(it) maints felons/méchants passages
Et maint péril et mainte détresse
Tant qu'il vint/venait au sentier tout droit...

In English this would make:

And through woods long and ugly
Through places strange and wild
And (has) passed many a bad (from felon(y)) road
And many a peril and many a distress
Thus he came/has come onto the straight path

So, other Frenchies, please lenda hand. (I never did much old French, only Dutch, but I'm confident that this at least expresses some truth :o)

[Dark Muse]

Thank you very much!