explanation (razo):

ABOUT THE POEM
This poem is based upon a Pastoral written by Marcabru, a well known troubadour of the first half of the twelfth century. There are several surviving works by Marcabru ( 42 remain intact, 4 of which, including this one, have music to them) (1, page 51). They range from songs of war to songs of love. Like some of the other troubadours of the time, Marcabru had a very biting wit that he was not afraid to use to criticize things he did not approve of. He was also one of the ‘racier’ troubadours in that he was not afraid to make direct references to unseemly acts. Marcabru was an avid proponent of ‘High Love’ (what some others would call ‘courtly love’ or ‘Fin’amor’) and an avid critic of ‘low love’, which others might just call lust.

One of the acts which Marcabru denounces in several of his works is the mixing of social stations- wherein a member of the upper classes attempts to seduce a member the lower classes. This was a disgusting act to Marcabru, as is evidenced in this translation of another poem he wrote:
‘a lady who loves her farmhand
just doesn’t know refined love
no, she’s got the bitch’s instinct
like the greyhound for the cur’.
(From Reference #3, page 70)

In ‘L’autrier jost’una sebissa’, the poem in which this work is based, Marcabru certainly shows his disdain for one who would practice low love- especially with a member of the lower classes! (the full poem this work is based on is included, with translation, in this documentation, along with an image of the document in which it can be found. )

I personalized this poem by making it a fish monger’s daughter upon the docks. As the father of two young daughters, it is my hope that this will serve them as a lesson of how to act when confronted with pushy ne’er do wells. (A Scaling block, by the way, is a grooved piece of wood upon which one would lay the fish in order to keep it in place while using a sharp knife to clean the scales off of it. Scaling blocks would not be found on docks, but in households. I took some artistic liberty. Go figure.)

THE MECHANICS
I wrote this poem in English for one simple reason: I do not speak French. The rhyme scheme is rigorous enough that I chose not to even collaborate with a fluent speaker of French, as I feared that enough liberty in translation would have to be taken to effectively transfer rhyme scheme that my original work in English would be ruined. (Having said that, I would still like to get this work translated into French whether it rhymes or not.)

Meter scheme in the original poem consists of 7 line verses in roughly iambic quatrameter (8 syllables with every other one being stressed). Rhyme scheme is as follows:
1st verse: AAABAAB 2nd verse: CCCBCCB and so on.

With B being consistent throughout the whole poem (in the original Marcabru uses the word for peasant girl in the fourth line and rhymes it with a varying word in every seventh line of every verse. I use the word dock and do the same. This rhyme scheme changes slightly in the last two verses, which are simply end statements by the two characters:
AAB
AAB

L’Autrier jost’una sebissa original words by Marcabru (ca 1129-1150). Translation by Margaret Switten.

I L'autrier jost'una sebissa Trobei pastora mestissa, De joi e de sen massissa, Si cum filla de vilana, Cap' e gonel'e pelissa Vest e camiza treslissa, Sotlars e caussas de lana. II Ves lieis vinc per la planissa: "Toza, fi.m ieu, res faitissa, Dol ai car lo freitz vos fissa. "Seigner, so.m dis la vilana, Merce Dieu e ma noirissa, Pauc m'o pretz si.l vens m'erissa, Qu'alegreta sui e sana." III "Toza, fi.m ieu, cauza pia, Destors me sui de la via Per far a vos compaignia; Quar aitals toza vilana No deu ses pareill paria Pastorgar tanta bestia En aital terra, soldana." IV "Don, fetz ela, qui que.m sia, Ben conosc sen e folia; La vostra pareillaria, Seigner, so.m dis la vilana, Lai on se tang si s'estia, Que tals la cuid'en bailia Tener, no.n a mas l'ufana." V "Toza de gentil afaire, Cavaliers fon vostre paire Que.us engenret en la maire, Car fon corteza vilana. Con plus vos gart, m'etz belaire, E per vostre joi m'esclaire, Si.m fossetz un pauc humana!" VI "Don, tot mon ling e mon aire Vei revertir e retraire Al vezoig et a l'araire, Seigner, so.m dis la vilana; Mas tals se fai cavalgaire C'atrestal deuria faire Los seis jorns de la setmana." VII "Toza, fi.m ieu, gentils fada, Vos adastret, quan fos nada, D'una beutat esmerada Sobre tot'autra vilana; E seria.us ben doblada, Si.m vezi'una vegada, Sobira e vos sotrana." VIII "Seigner, tan m'avetz lauzada, Que tota.n sui enojada; Pois en pretz m'avetz levada, Seigner, so.m dis la vilana, Per so n'auretz per soudada Al partir: bada, fols, bada E la muz a meliana." IX "Toz'estraing cor e salvatge Adomesg'om per uzatge. Ben conosc al trespassatge Qu'ab aital toza vilana Pot hom far ric compaignatge Ab amistat de coratge, Si l'us l'autre non engana." X "Don, hom coitatz de follatge Jur' e pliu e promet gatge: Si.m fariatz homenatge, Seigner, so.m dis la vilana Mas ieu, per un pauc d'intratge, Non vuoil ges mon piucellatge Camjar per nom de putana." XI "Toza, tota creatura Revertis a sa natura: Pareillar pareilladura Devem, ieu e vos, vilana, A l'abric lonc la pastura, Car plus n'estaretz segura Per far la cauza doussana." XII "Don, oc; mas segon dreitura Cerca fols sa follatura, Cortes cortez'aventura E.il vilans ab la vilana; En tal loc fai sens fraitura On hom non garda mezura, So ditz la gens anciana." XIII "Toza, de vostra figura Non vi autra plus tafura Ni de son cor plus trefana." XIV "Don, lo cavecs vos ahura, Que tals bad'en la peintura Qu'autre n'espera la mana."

I The other day beside a hedge I found a humble shepherdess Full of joy and good sense Like the daughter of a peasant girl; A cape, a coat and fur She wore, and a shirt of rough cloth, Shoes and woolen stockings. II I came to her across the plain "Young girl," I said, "charming creature I am pained because the cold pierces you." "Sir," said to me the peasant girl, "Thanks to God and my nurse, It does not concern me if the wind ruffles my hair, For I am cheerful and healthy." III "Young girl," I said, "sweet thing, I have turned out of my way To keep you company, For such a young peasant girl Should not, without a comrade, Pasture so many beasts In such a place, alone." IV "Sir," said she, "be what I may, I know common sense from folly; Your company, Sir," so said to me the peasant girl, "Should be offered where it is fitting, For one who thinks she can hold it In her power, has nothing but the illusion." V "Young girl of noble condition Your father was a knight Who got your mother with child For she was a courtly peasant girl. The more I look at you, the prettier you seem, And by your joy I am gladdened, If only toward me you were more human!" VI "Sir, all my lineage and my family I see returning and going back To sickle and plow, Sir," so said to me the peasant girl; "But some pass themselves off as knights Who should be doing likewise Six days of the week." VII "Young girl," said I, "a noble fairy Blessed you, when you were born, With perfect beauty Above any other peasant girl; And it would be doubled If I saw myself just once Above and you below." VIII "Sir, you have praised me so much That I am quite annoyed; Since you have raised me in worth, Sir," so said to me the peasant girl, "You will have for recompense On departure: gape, fool, gape Vainly waiting at noonday." IX "Young girl, a wild and skittish heart One can tame by using it. I certainly realize on passing by here That with such a young peasant girl A man can find noble company With heartfelt friendship, If neither deceives the other." X "Sir, a man pressed by madness Swears and pledges and guarantees: Thus you would do me homage, Sir," so said to me the peasant girl; "But I, for a cheap entrance fee, Do not want to exchange my virginity For the name of whore." XI "Young girl, every creature Reverts to its nature; We should prepare to form a couple, You and I, peasant girl, Under cover beside the pasture, For you will be in greater safety there To do the sweet thing." XII "Sir, yes; but according to what is right, The fool seeks his foolishness, The courtly, courtly adventures, And the peasant boy, the peasant girl; Wisdom is lacking in any place (circumstance) Where moderation is not observed, So say the ancients." XIII "Young girl, about your face, I never saw one more dishonest, Nor a heart more deceitful." XIV "Sir, the owl promises you That one man gapes before the painting While the other expects reward."

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Goldin, Frederick. Lyrics of the Troubadours and Trouveres: An Anthology and History. Gloucester, MA: Peter Smith Press, 1983.

2. Rochefort, Deborah. "The Troubadours." From Compleat Anachronist #44, Society for Creative Anachronisms, 1989.

3. Wilhelm, James. Seven Troubadours: the Creators of Modern Verse. University Park, PA: Penn Stae University Press, 1970.

4. Image of Medieval Manuscript taken from the website http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/medst/medieval_lyric/marcabru/ms.html
The Image is from the manuscript found in the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.