A Noble Jester; or, Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady (1908)
Our story opens with an interior view of an old English castle. A young girl, rather listless and languid, sits reading. Her father and tutor presently leave the room. As they go out the teacher shakes his finger reprovingly at his charge. She crosses to the latticed window and looks out: becomes very much interested in what she sees. A young nobleman is passing by on horseback, looks up, sees the beautiful girl at the window, dismounts, draws near and speaks to her. She breaks a rose and throws it to him, and just as he is kissing her hand the father and tutor appear, take her inside and order the young gallant away. Inside the girl is reprimanded for speaking to unknown gentlemen and as punishment is given extra studies. The young lady is in love, goes about her studies in listless and disinterested manner. The father and tutor notice her lack of ambition and apparent decline and summon the family physician, who pronounces the ailment a case of melancholia and he advises the parent to procure a jester. A proclamation is written and posted and is observed by various persons, among them the nobleman of our former scene. Here is a chance for him to be with and see his lady love. He accordingly dresses himself as a fool, and is among the applicants who seek the position. The jesters arrive at the castle, all of distinctly different type; one tall and melancholy; one fat and comical; one hunchback, and lastly, the young prince, The father, tutor and doctor enter. The parent explains what is wanted of them and each in turn is bidden to tell his host a tale. The three first named do their little stunt, but none seems to meet the requirements. The young nobleman rises and commences to speak. At the sound of his voice the girl stares rapturously, laughs and nods approvingly, whereupon he is immediately engaged and his competitors dismissed. In the park we find the jester telling his tales to the young lady. She is extremely happy and light-hearted again and her father and tutor are delighted. Two courtiers enter and announce the arrival of a baron, who intends to ask the hand of the daughter in marriage. The father welcomes him, presents his child, and leaving the baron to plead his cause, departs. The jester remains watching and listening, and is wild with jealous rage as his rival pleads. To the young lady the ordeal is equally distasteful. She attempts to run away, but is roughly seized by the suitor. The jester comes to her rescue, draws his sword and dares his rival to fight. They fence, the baron's attendants rush to his assistance, but the jester-nobleman, being a master at fencing, soon dispatches them all. At this juncture the father, tutor, doctor and servants rush in, find the girl in the jester's arms and the floor strewn with wounded men. The daughter explains, accuses the baron of cowardliness and ungentlemanly conduct, then returns to her lover's arms. The father is indignant and horrified that his daughter should display such poor taste. The jester removes his fool costume, disclosing jewels and other marks of nobility. His retainers enter, the prince asks for and is given the daughter's hand, while the baron sneaks away.
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GenresDrama
Short
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