Les Lais de Marie de France

This collection of medieval tales in verse was written during the latter part of the twelfth century by a French lady of letters who is best known for this work. Courtly love is the unifying theme. The poems themselves have been reworked into modern French prose, and are grouped into these sections: anecdotal, realistic, and supernatural. An introduction traces the main currents of medieval literature and gives important historical background. Questions follow each story; footnotes and a bibliography are also included.