Maria Hayes – illustratör

Jaufre is a lively, engaging and at times comedic tale of a knight from King Arthur's court. The young hero encounters all manner of unpleasant adversaries including giants and a demon knight, finds true love in the form of an independent, wealthy and hot-tempered heiress, and is tricked into going to the rescue of an underwater fairy. This story, dedicated to a king of Aragon and told in Occitan, was first set down in writing in the thirteenth century but does not appear to have reached English-speaking readers until the late nineteenth century. It was, however, originally intended for oral performance rather than for solitary readers. This new adaptation is an attempt to capture the spirit of the original Occitan, keeping close to the way it was told, and to bring the story to life in the hope that other storytellers will once again tell the tale of Jaufre and new listeners will enjoy his exploits.