I could only find this story in French, so I had to translate it. This is from a version of the story for little kids, so please excuse the simplicity. The French version that I translated from is at the bottom of the page.
No, this history is not a novel, and yet...
Héloïse was a fifteen-year-old girl. She came to live with her uncle Fulbert near Notre Dame. He was a very educated man. Héloïse was very educated also. She knew how to read, write, and speak Latin and Greek. Héloïse was not an ordinary girl!
And so...?
Around the 12th century, very few people knew how to read and write. You would have to have rich parents or go to a boarding school. Most children didn’t travel and didn’t have vacations. They would work everyday in the field, at the bakery, etc. A child was a mouth to feed and had to help out the family.
Abélard was 23 years old. For a young man, he knew a lot about theology, the science of religion. He had more than once criticized the church. The religious authorities didn’t always agree with what he had to say. Many people wanted to hear him speak or wanted to have him teach their children. Abélard didn’t have the time. His only interests were religion and studying.
One day he saw Héloïse and his life changed. He fell deeply in love with her. How could he get to know her? It was easy, he would become her tutor. Fulbert was relying on having Abélard with them at Notre Dame. Héloïse had also fallen deeply in love with Abélard. They hid their love. But one day Héloïse’s uncle found them out. He chased Abélard away.
He did not know that Héloïse had a child by Abélard, whose name was Astrolab. Abélard had a reputation to keep up! He said he could not marry Héloïse. Uncle Fulbert was very angry. He was responsible for all that happened to his niece. He insisted that the lovers get married, but only in secret.
Abélard was relieved, his good reputation was saved. But he did not know that Fulbert was preparing his revenge. Uncle Fulbert paid two bandits to castrate Abélard during the night! Then he told everyone that Abélard had ruined the reputation of his niece. Abélard was twice punished!
Fulbert insisted that Héloise enter a convent. She became a nun. Abélard entered the monastery. They only saw each other one more time but they wrote letters to each other. They wrote about love, life, and religion. It is through these letters that we know their story. This is a true story. Héloise was born in 1101. Abélard was born in 1079. He died when he was 63 years old in 1142. She died when she was 61 in 1162. Five centuries later they were placed in the same tomb. Most people go visit their tomb at Père LaChaise cemetery and deposit a red rose. Ah! Love!
The French version:
Non, cette histoire n'est pas un roman, et pourtant...
Héloïse a maintenant 15 ans. Elle est venue habiter avec son oncle Fulbert. Il est prêtre à Notre Dame. C'est un homme très instruit. Héloïse est très instruite aussi. Elle sait lire, écrire et parler Latin et Grec. Héloise n'est pas une fille ordinaire!
Et alors...?
En ce temps là -nous sommes au douziième siècle, peu de personnes savent lire et écrire. Il faut avoir des parents riches, ou habiter à la cour... Les enfants ordinaires travaillent et ne connaissent pas les grandes vacances! Tous les jours ils doivent se lever tôt pour travailler dans les champs, ou chez le boulanger, le charcutier... Un enfant est une bouche à nourrir et doit aider la famille!
Abélard, lui, a 23 ans cette année là. Lui non plus n'est pas un homme ordinaire. Il est jeune mais il est déjà très connu pour ses connaissances en théologie, la science de la religion. Plus d'une fois il a critiqué l'église. Les autorités religieuses ne sont pas toujours d'accord avec ce qu'il dit. Cependant beaucoup de gens veulent l'écouter ou l'avoir comme professeur pour leurs enfants. Abélard n'a pas de temps .à perdre. Il ne s'intéresse qu' à la religion et aux études, dit-il....
Un jour, il rencontre Héloise. Et sa vie change! Il tombe follement amoureux d'elle. Comment faire pour être avec elle? C'est facile! Il va devenir le professeur de Héloïse! Fulbert est fier d'avoir Abélard avec eux à Notre Dame. Quel honneur!
Héloïse, elle aussi, tombe follement amoureuse de Abélard. Oh!Oh! Ils cachent leur amour. Mais un jour l'oncle les surprend! Il chasse Abélard de chez lui.
Il ne sait pas que Héloïse attend un enfant de Abélard (il l'appelleront Astrolab)! Catastrophe! Non ce n'est pas possible! Abélard a sa réputation et sa carrière! Il ne peut pas, dit-il, se marier avec Héloïse! L'oncle Fulbert est très en colère. Il se sent responsable de ce qui arrive à sa nièce. Il l'oblige les amoureux à se marier, amis il jure de garder le secret.
Abélard respire! Ouf! Il va garder sa bonne réputation. Il ne sait pas pas que Fulbert a préparé sa revanche! L'oncle Fulbert paye deux bandits pour castrer Abélard pendant la nuit! Puis il dit à tout le monde que Abélard a ruiné la réputation de sa nièce. Abélard est deux fois puni!
Comment préserver sa réputation? Il oblige Héloise à entrer au couvent. Lui va continuer ses études et à donner des leçons. Ils ne se reverront qu'une seule fois. Cependant ils continuent de s'aimer et pendant quarante ans ils s'écrivent de merveilleuses lettres. Ils parlent de tout: de l'amour, de la vie, de la religion. C'est grâce à ses lettres que nous les connaissons. Cinq cents ans plus tard Héloise et Abélard sont mis dans la même tombe. Vous pouvez aller voir leur tombe au cimetière du Père Lachaise et y déposer une rose rouge comme beucoup de gens font. Ah! L'amour!
