ABSTRACT
Gaucelm Faidit went overseas and brought with him his wife, Lady Guillelma Monja, a woman who had once been a prostitute, and who was fatter than he was. 1 He thought he had had a son by her, a very unpleasant man in every way. He returned poor and with no prospects. Elias d’Uisel composed this stanza about him: The good pilgrim would be rich But he put his money into holiness. Over there he lived in great honor And for this Saladin had to suffer the damage; If it weren’t for the big belly that hangs off him, The Turks would be paying dearly for his ardor. 2 He still says he’d like to go back there But he restrains himself so that his beautiful son will inherit. (136, 3) These words were composed by Sir Elias, who knew how to make them Better than Sir Gaucelm, who is fatter than a column.
