Sir Orfeo

Lay le Freine by Anonymous (14th century), translated by R. S. Robinson

Lay le Freine is a 14th-century Breton lai written in Middle English. The author is unknown, but the poem is a retelling of a 12th-century lai by Marie de France. In it, a baby is abandoned at birth and left wrapped in an embroidered cloth outside a convent. Christened Le Freine, she grows up not knowing who her real parents are, although she is told at the age of 12 that she was a foundling. The story takes a romantic turn when Le Freine elopes with a wealthy knight. After some twists and turns, her identity as the daughter of a knight is revealed, and the two lovers are allowed to marry. As in Sir Orfeo, all’s well that ends well. The abandoned baby is a common feature of medieval tales, as is an article of clothing or cloth—in this case, the embroidered cloth—by which a person may later be identified.

Pearl by Anonymous (late 14th century), translated by J. R. R. Tolkien

The title of this medieval poem in Middle English is Perle. It is twice as long as Sir Orfeo, comprising over 100 12-line stanzas, each with the same rhyme scheme.