A mysterious woman known as Marie de France wrote a series of twelve short narrative Breton lais in the 12th century, one of which she titled “Bisclavret” (which can be translated as “The Werewolf” in Breton, and “Garwolf” in Norman). The Anglo-Norman poem, told in octosyllabic verse, tells the tale of a well-loved baron who had the sneaky habit of leaving his wife alone for half of every week without explaining his whereabouts. His wife, fearful of infidelity, finally confronted him about it. For fear of losing her, he said he could not explain his disappearances. Her questioning persisted until finally he relented.
My lady, I turn bisclavret;
I plunge into that great forest.
In thick woods I like it best.
I live on what prey I can get.
Seemingly unfazed by his admission, she inquired about his clothing. Did he wear his clothes during this transformation, or did he go undressed? “My lady,” said he, “I go all bare.” Curiously, she then asks where he hid his clothes when he shifted. He refused to tell her the location, on account of the penalty incurred if he should misplace or lose them. Namely, that he would remain a werewolf forever—or at least until he regained them. She persisted until he relented and gave up the location. While appearing calm in front of her werewolf husband, we learn she was actually horrified by his monstrosity. Afraid for her life, she devised a plan that involved persuading a knight who had for some time been courting her to go and steal the clothes during the next transformation. The knight, eager to have her all to himself, did as she instructed. When the baron never returned, everyone in the village assumed that he had decided to leave his wife for good. Little did they know he was actually trapped in his wolf form, wandering around the deep woods. A year elapsed without anyone hearing from the baron. By this time, the wife and the knight had married. One day the king decided to go hunting in the deep woods. Soon his hounds caught the scent of Bisclavret and began tracking him. When they finally caught him, Bisclavret ran up to the king and kissed his feet and legs.
How this beast bows down to me!
Its sense is human. It begs for mercy.
Drive me those dogs away again,
See that no-one strikes a blow!
This beast understands, feels like a man.
Following this encounter, Bisclavret followed the king back to his castle where he remained as the king’s trusty sidekick and friend, until one day when the king decided to hold court requiring all the knights in the kingdom to attend. When Bisclavret spotted the particular knight who stole his clothes and married his wife, he bit him. The king tried to call Bisclavret off, but his attack persisted until all of the knights fled the castle. Soon Bisclavret’s wife came to the castle to bring the king a lavish present, and when Bisclavret saw her, he tore off her nose. Everyone threatened his life for what he had done to the lady. But then a wise man pointed out that Bisclavret had never behaved that way the entire time he had been with the king; so there must be something about this lady and her new husband that offended him. The king questioned and tortured the lady, and she told him everything. The king ordered her to go and get the clothes. He took the clothes from her and set them before Bisclavret, but nothing happened. The wise man said that it would be humiliating for him to change into his human form before the king; so they took and put his clothes in the king’s chamber. They left him alone for a while, and when the king went back into the room, he found Bisclavret asleep on the bed. The lady and her new husband were exiled. All of her daughters were born without noses.