Gargamelle

Chapter Six: How Gargantua Was Born in a Strange Manner.

Whilst they were on this discourse and pleasant tattle of drinking, Gargamelle began to be a little unwell in her lower parts.

Whereupon Grandgousier arose from off the grass and fell to comfort her very honestly and kindly, suspecting that she was in travail, and told her that it was best for her to sit down upon the grass under the willows, because she was like very shortly to see young feet.

And that therefore it was convenient she should pluck up her spirits and take a good heart of new at the fresh arrival of her baby.

Then he had the royal herald with great flourish of trumpets to name a day on which all his neighbors, brave fellows, and good players at ninepins were to join him in the great Feast of Tripes.

King Grangousier had a fair and stately wife named Gargamelle.

She was a daughter of the King of the Parpalions, and was herself a giantess, but not quite so tall as her husband.

Grangousier and Gargamelle dearly loved one another, and all that they wanted in this world was a son to bear the father's name and be king after him.

Queen Gargamelle liked to be in the open air and see games of ninepins and ball and leapfrog played by nimble men and women.

And Grangousier at such games was always found seated at her side like a good husband, seeming to enjoy them as much as she did.

At last, one fine day, a little boy was born to them.

The old doctor himself and the three wise old women who were there all declared that he had the biggest throat ever known, not even excepting his father's.

Then he had the royal herald with great flourish of trumpets to name a day on which all his neighbors, brave fellows and good players at ninepins, were to join him in the great feast of tripes.

King Grandgousier had a fair and stately wife named Gargamelle.

She was a daughter of the king of the Parphalians, and was herself a giantess, but not quite so tall as her husband.

Grandgousier and Gargamelle dearly loved one another, and all that they wanted in this world was a son to bear the father's name and be king after him.

Queen Gargamelle liked to be in the open air and see games of ninepins and ball and leapfrog played by nimble men and women.

And Grangousier at such games was always found seated at her side like a good husband, seeming to enjoy them as much as she did.

At last, one fine day, a little boy was born to them.

The old doctor himself, and the three wise old women who were there, all declared that he had the biggest throat ever known, not even excepting his father's.

Then he had the royal herald with great flourish of trumpets to name a day on which all his neighbors, brave fellows, and good players at ninepins were to join him in the great feast of tripes.

King Grandgousier had a fair and stately wife named Gargamelle.

She was a daughter of the King of the Parpalions, and was herself a giantess, but not quite so tall as her husband.

Grandgousier and Gargamelle dearly loved one another, and all that they wanted in this world was a son to bear the father's name and be king after him.

Queen Gargamelle liked to be in the open air and see games of ninepins and ball and leapfrog played by nimble men and women.

And Grandgousier at such games was always found seated at her side like a good husband, seeming to enjoy them as much as she did.

At last, one fine day, a little boy was born to them.

The old doctor himself, and the three wise old women who were there, all declared that he had the biggest throat ever known, not even excepting his father's.

To this intent he was ordinarily well furnished with gammons of bacon, both of Westphalia, Mayence, and Bayonne, with store of dried neat's tongues, plenty of links, chitterlings, and puddings in their season, together with salt beef and mustard, a good deal of hard rows of powdered mullet called bottargos, great provision of sausages, not of Bologna, for he feared the Lombard boccone, but of Bigarre, Longoni, Braine, and Rouargues.

In the vigor of his age he married Gargamelle, daughter to the king of the Parpaillons, a jolly pug and well-mouthed wench.

These two did oftentimes do the two-backed beast together, joyfully rubbing and frotting their bacon against one another, insofar that at last she became great with child of a fair son, and went with him unto the eleventh month.

For so long, yea longer, may a woman carry her great belly, especially when it is some masterpiece of nature, and a person predestinated to the performance in his due time of great exploits.

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For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Gargantua and Pantagruel, book one by François Rabelais, translated by Sir Thomas Urquhart.

Chapter four: How Gargamelle, being great with Gargantua, did eat a huge deal of tripes.

The occasion and manner how Gargamelle was brought to bed and delivered of her child was thus.

Grandgelsia and Gargamel dearly loved one another, and all that they wanted in this world was a son to bear the father's name and be king after him.

Queen Gargamelle liked to be in the open air and see games of ninepins and ball and leapfrog played by nimble men and women.

And Grangousier at such games was always found seated at her side like a good husband, seeming to enjoy them as much as she did.

At last, one fine day, a little boy was born to them.

The old doctor himself and the three wise old women who were there all declared that he had the biggest throat ever known, not even accepting his father's.

Now it happened that of all the days of the year, the very day the royal herald proclaimed with flourish of trumpets for the famous Feast of Tripes was the very day on which the baby prince was born.

When the great news was carried to King Grangousier, who was drinking and making merry with his friends, that he had a son and that the young prince was already bawling for his drink, his joy almost choked him, and he could only find breath to say in French, "Qui grand' tua," meaning, "What a big throat thou hast." Everybody, including Queen Gargamelle when she heard of it, the family doctor, and the three old wise women laughed at this joke of the king and declared that it was the very best name that could be given to the royal babe.

From that moment, they began, when talking to him or speaking of him, to call him Little Prince Qui Grand' Tua.

To this intent, he was ordinarily well furnished with gammons of bacon, both of Westphalia, Mayence, and Bayonne, with store of dried neat's tongues, plenty of links, chitterlings, and puddings in their season, together with salt beef and mustard, a good deal of hard rows of powdered mullet called bottargos, great provision of sausages, not of Bologna, for he feared the Lombard boccone, but of Bigarre, Longoni, Braine, and Rouergue.

In the vigor of his age, he married Gargamelle, daughter to the king of the Parpaillons, a jolly pug and well-mouthed wench.

These two did oftentimes do the two-backed beast together, joyfully rubbing and frotting their bacon against one another, insofar that at last she became great with child of a fair son and went with him unto the eleventh month.

For so long, yea longer, may a woman carry her great belly, especially when it is some masterpiece of nature and a person predestinated to the performance in his due time of great exploits.

Being come out of the river of Vide, they came very shortly after to Grandgousier's castle, who waited for them with great longing.

At their coming they were entertained with many congees, and cherished with embraces.

Never was seen a more joyful company; for Supplementum Supplementi Chronicorum saith that Gargamelle died there with joy.

For my part, truly I cannot tell, neither do I care very much for her, nor for anybody else.