Reynard the Fox · Willem, 1260
How far did Bruun walk to Maleperduis?
~14km
From the king's court to Maleperduis on this map: about three and a half hours on foot, at 4 km an hour.
From the bookThe map's guessReal world
Bruun the bear is the king's first messenger. He walks from court to Maleperduis, roars at the door, and lets Reynaert talk him into a detour: honey, in Lamfroit's yard, about 3.5 km further on. There the oak trunk snaps shut on his head and paws.
The poem gives no distances. The court and Maleperduis are both made up, so the 14 km is the length of the route this map draws, not a number from the book. It does fit the story: the Waasland is small, and on foot you get from the court to Maleperduis in an afternoon.
Getting back was much harder. Bruun tears himself loose, jumps in the river and floats away, and only limps back into court days later, bleeding and furious.
Follow Bruun on the map