Troubadour Tales

In Short

Evaleen Stein’s 1903 collection brings medieval and historic Europe to life through four stand-alone stories centered on young protagonists. In XV-century Provence, a quick-witted page outsmarts a dishonest nobleman to secure a royal prize; in foggy Finland, a brave girl ventures through forest and frost to rescue an ancient, dying song; in feudal France, a boy risks his life to prevent a deadly duel; and on a Provençal Christmas, a lost shepherd lad finds his artistic calling. Rich in period detail and driven by youthful courage, these tales have endured for their warmth, gentle humor, and deep respect for art, music, and simple kindness.

The Story

The collection opens in fifteenth-century Provence with "The Page of Count Reynaurd." Count Reynaurd, a gifted troubadour, rides toward the court of King René at Aix accompanied by his page, Pierrot. Reynaurd composes a brilliant song to compete for a jeweled collar offered by the king. However, his rival, the unscrupulous Count William of Auvergne, overhears the performance through an unlatched door and memorizes the verse. At the contest, William sings Reynaurd's work first, claiming it as his own. When Reynaurd protests, Pierrot steps forward to expose the theft through a clever linguistic trap involving the Latin lines of the song, exposing William's deceit and winning royal favor alongside a silver cup.

"The Lost Rune" shifts the setting to nineteenth-century Finland. Young Elsa Sveaborg and her family host Herr Lönnrot, a scholar gathering the nation's ancient oral poetry. When Lönnrot falls dangerously ill before he can record the legendary "birth of the harp" rune from an ailing, eccentric old peasant named Ulricborg, Elsa quietly slips away to complete his mission. Braving dense fogs, navigating unknown rivers, and hiding in stranger's barns, she reaches Ulricborg’s remote cottage just before the old man passes away. She receives the precious manuscript, carrying it back to save the song for her country's heritage.

In "Count Hugo’s Sword," set in medieval France, young Geoffrey learns that his master, the brave Count Boni, has been challenged to a judicial duel by the cruel, feared Count Hugo. Knowing Hugo wields an almost invincible weapon, Geoffrey overhears that the King has banned all dueling. To buy time for the royal decree to arrive, Geoffrey sneaks into Hugo's inn chamber at night and steals his famous sword, hiding it in the garden. He allows himself to be captured and beaten rather than betray the secret too early. When the King’s heralds arrive to enforce the ban, Geoffrey fulfills his promise to restore the sword, saving Count Boni's life and winning his own freedom.

The final tale, "Felix," returns to Provence on Christmas Eve. Little Félix Michaud is thrilled that his pet lamb, Beppo, has been chosen for the holy midnight mass procession. But when Beppo strays into the dark forest, Félix searches for hours, eventually climbing a tree to hide from prowling wolves. He is rescued by knights belonging to Count Bernard and taken to the nobleman's castle. There, Félix rearranges the young Lady Elinor's Christmas crèche and leaves behind small figures he carved himself. Astounded by the boy's natural genius, the Count arranges for Félix to apprentice under a master woodcarver, fulfilling the child's fondest dream.

How It Unfolds

The troubadours ride to Aix Count Reynaurd and his page Pierrot journey through sunny Provence, adorning their horses with blue periwinkles and violets. They head to King René’s court to enter a famous poetry contest, bursting with song and May-time cheer.

A song stolen through an open door While Reynaurd enthusiastically rehearses his newly composed masterpiece, Pierrot accidentally leaves the heavy chamber door unlatched. Across the hall, the scheming Count William listens intently, memorizing every line of his rival's creation.

Elsa hears of the missing verse In frosty Finland, a travelling scholar falls ill at Elsa’s home before he can collect a legendary, unrecorded epic rune. Fearing the old peasant who knows the song will die before the scholar recovers, Elsa sets off alone into the fog.

The journey through mist and river Elsa travels on foot, hitches a ride with a timber boatman, and sleeps hidden in a stranger’s haymow. She reaches the weather-beaten cottage of the dying peasant Ulricborg just in time to receive the yellowed manuscript of the ancient rune.

A perilous night mission Learning of an impending duel that will kill his beloved master, young Geoffrey sneaks into Count Hugo’s inn window. He hazards a beating and potential hanging to slip away with Hugo's prized sword, hiding it in the dirt to delay the fight.

A lost lamb in the wolf-woods On Christmas Eve, the shepherd boy Félix wanders into dangerous timberlands searching for his lost lamb, Beppo. Trapped in a tree overnight as wolves prowl below, he is rescued by noble horsemen and brought to a grand château.

A gift that shapes a life Félix uses his hand-carved wooden figures to complete the young noblewoman’s Christmas crèche. Impressed by the shepherd boy's raw artistic talent, the local count pays for Félix to become a master carver in Arles.

The People

• Pierrot is an attentive, spirited young page who rides a white palfrey for Count Reynaurd. He wants his master to succeed above all rivals, and his quick eye for detail and sharp mind help unmask a high-born thief before the King.
• Count William of Auvergne is a deceitful, opportunistic nobleman. Driven by envy and a desperate desire to win King René's jewel-encrusted collar, he steals another poet's work without shame, only to be humiliated by his own arrogance.
• Elsa Sveaborg is a cheerful, devoted Finnish peasant girl who loves the traditional songs of her homeland. Wanting to help her bedridden guest, she risks her own safety on a long journey, growing from a simple farm girl into a honored preserver of national poetry.
• Geoffrey is a brave, deeply loyal boy serving in a French château. Terrified that his noble master will die in a unfair duel, he demonstrates extraordinary physical fortitude, enduring imprisonment and lashes to protect those he serves.
• Count Hugo is an ill-tempered, arrogant lord who relies on intimidation and his notorious sword to win disputes. Ignorant of honor, he is repeatedly outwitted by children and constrained by the King's messengers.
• Félix Michaud is a gentle, timid Provençal shepherd lad who harbors a secret, burning passion for woodcarving. Though resigned to a hard life keeping sheep, his devotion to his lost lamb unexpectedly opens the door to a lifelong career as a celebrated cathedral sculptor.

In Its Own Voice

“Many of the greatest of these kept little pages to wait upon them and carry their musical instruments; and so it was that Pierrot rode a little white palfrey by the side of Count Reynaurd…”

Count Reynaurd and his young attendant travel the roads of medieval France in search of song contests.

“…she sat by the fire, the warmth at last made her drowsy; presently the harp fell from her hands, and still leaning against her father she dropped into a sound sleep.”

Young Elsa rests in her family's cottage, surrounded by the traditional Finnish harp music she loves.

“To be the offered lamb, or indeed the offered lamb’s mother, for both always went together, was the greatest honor and glory that could possibly happen to a Provençal sheep…”

Félix prepares his pet lamb for the sacred Christmas Eve procession in his village church.

What It's Really About

Beneath their romantic, fairy-tale charm, these stories explore how art, beauty, and devotion elevate ordinary human lives. Stein portrays music, poetry, and craftsmanship not as mere entertainment for the wealthy, but as vital, life-giving forces that belong to everyone—from kingly courts to humble peasant kitchens. The narrative continuously champions the hidden dignity of youth and the powerless; in each story, a small child or humble page possesses the moral clarity, courage, and cultural reverence that self-absorbed adults lack. The collection argues that gentleness, creative passion, and unselfish loyalty are far more powerful than noble titles, heavy swords, or underhanded trickery.

Why Read It Today

Troubadour Tales offers a heartwarming, highly evocative escape into historical Europe, marked by rich local color, gentle warmth, and traditional storytelling virtues. Readers who enjoy classic historical fiction, folklore, and tales of artistic discovery will find much to admire in Stein's clear, musical prose. The narrative moves at a pleasant, unhurried pace, vividly describing Provençal orange groves, icy Finnish birch woods, medieval inns, and festive holiday traditions.

While modern readers should be aware of its period perspective—the stories present an idealized, highly romanticized view of feudal life, complete with starkly drawn villains and virtuous peasants—the underlying themes are timeless. It carries no difficult regional dialects or impenetrable archaic grammar, making it exceptionally accessible for family read-alouds or quiet historical reflection. What stays with you long after reading is its radiant, hopeful atmosphere: the quiet confidence that a child's simple kindness or a forgotten song can leave a lasting mark upon the world.