gat him a horse of excellent goodness. And as he would have departed on
his way thence, and rode by an inn, the horse would no longer go
forward, for it had an evil habit that at every inn would it stop.
Thereat said Owlglass: “In truth, thou canst also drink thee a measure
of liquor, for it is hot;” and therefore he gat down from the horse, and
tied him up unto the gateway. Then entered he into the inn, and the
guest-chamber thereof, and there sat several guests within, making
merry. At the table there sat a Jew, who was a dealer in horses; and the
Jew had perceived the horse of Owlglass as he came up unto the house.
And he spake unto Owlglass, saying: “Wilt thou sell thy horse, and what
wouldst thou have in money therefor?” Then Owlglass answered, and said
unto the Jew: “This horse canst thou not buy, Jew; it is a Mechlenburg
horse, and of a most rare breed, and three hundred nobles would scarce
pay for it.” Then said the Jew: “Nay, but what think ye, gracious sir,
for twenty nobles would I buy thee such a horse. Wilt thou set a wager
upon it?” “Most contemptible son of Moses,” said Owlglass, “thou couldst
not. He hath not one fault, and is as gentle as a tender lamb.” “Well,”
answered the Jew: “wilt thou take twenty nobles therefor?” Then Owlglass
spake unto him, and said: “Look you, Hebrew Jew, an if thou wilt take
three strokes from my riding-whip, then will I give thee the horse, and
he shall be fairly thine own.” Thereat said the Jew: “Ye would fain jest
with me, noble sir; may I trust your word?” And Owlglass said: “Hast
thou not heard it?” Then cried the Jew: “Yea; and the gentlefolk yonder
will be witnesses thereunto.” Then said Owlglass: “Good: when wilt thou
have the three strokes? Wilt thou have it that I begin now at this place
and time?” Thereupon the Jew answered Owlglass, and said: “An if that I
must have them, it may as well now be as at any other time.” Then
Owlglass commanded that the Jew should be tied up, and said unto him:
“Now do thou remember. Thou hast to receive from me three strokes, and
when thou hast received them, then shalt thou truly become possessor of
my horse.”
Then he took his whip, and lifted it, and came down with a great stroke
upon the back of the Jew, so that he cried aloud with marvellous pain.
Then said Owlglass: “Son of Abraham, art thou content, or wilt thou
straightway receive the next stroke?” And the Jew answered, and said:
“Gracious sir, the other will I have now; but I entreat thee, for pity’s
sake, not to strike me so sore.” And Owlglass spake unto him, and said:
“Then make thou thyself ready:” and therewith gave he unto the Jew a yet
sorer stroke. The poor Jew thereat bit his tongue woundily with the
pain, and cried to Owlglass that he should speedily give him the third
stroke. Then said Owlglass: “Nay; but for the third stroke mayest thou
stay a while, so long as thou receivest it not is the horse mine.
Behold, here are the witnesses.” Thereat, although the Jew scarce could
stand with the pain, he entreated Owlglass that he should then give him
the third stroke; but Owlglass would not. Then lamented the Jew, and
Owlglass gave unto him a measure of wine; but he ceased not to complain
in that he had been beguiled of Owlglass. Yet was the Jew justly served,
in that, with small pains and labour, he would have received the horse
of Owlglass.
O most worthy teacher of wisdom unto the ignorant and sinful, why camest
thou not in the days in which I do here chronicle thy marvellous deeds?
The Fortieth Adventure.
_How Owlglass did have much money for an old hat._
Money remaineth not always with any of us, my masters; and so truly did
Owlglass find, when that he was in the town of Cologne. And he was so
poor, that of all his money he possessed only four shillings; and on his
head he wore an old hat, with three corners, and thereat did all people
laugh. Then Owlglass thought that he would therewith have rare sport and
profit. And as he was going along the street of the town, he beheld two
officers of the soldiers; and he knew that they had pouches well lined
with gold pieces. And they laughed at his hat. Then spake Owlglass unto
them: “Behold, ye do laugh at my hat. Verily will I shew unto ye that in
no wise is it to be accounted nought, but hath great virtue; and to
content you therein, I bid ye both dine with me on this day.” And the
soldiers consented, and so gat them with Owlglass. When that they came
unto the gate of the best inn, Owlglass said: “What say ye? where shall
we dine?” Then they answered and said: “Let us enter herein and dine, if
that ye have a good pouch of money?” And Owlglass said: “Be of good
cheer, that maketh no matter, let us enter therein.” Then entered they;
and Owlglass secretly conferred with the hostess, and gave her the four
shillings, therewith to satisfy her for the dinner.
And when that the dinner was served, the officers waxed merry, for it
was a very excellent dinner, and they were content. Thereafter did
Owlglass say unto the hostess: “What money dost thou want to satisfy
thee for thy dinner?” And she answered and said: “Four shillings.” “Four
shillings, sayest thou?” answered Owlglass, and therewith he took his
little hat and he turned it four times about upon his finger, and asked
her if that she were content. And she said: “Yea; and fair thanks unto
ye likewise.” And therewith departed she. But the officers, when that
they beheld it, said: “But how marvellous is this thing!” And they were
most astonished. “Alas! my masters,” said Owlglass unto them: “do not ye
now see how great is the value of the hat? With the money that more than
twenty times hath been offered me therefor, should I be rich.”
Then said one of his guests: “If that I offered unto thee a good sum,
would not ye sell it? For poor soldiers as be we, so great a marvel
would be accounted very useful unto us, for then should we never die of
hunger.” And Owlglass was persuaded, and he gave them the hat for four
hundred marks. And the next day, he who bought it desired to make trial
of it; and he went unto the inn and had a great banquet made ready, and
he assembled his friends together to eat thereof. Then when the time
came for paying the host, he sought to pay the charges by turning the
hat about; but the host understood it not. And so the soldier had to pay
many marks therefor; and when he looked after Owlglass he found him not.
The Forty and First Adventure.
_How that Owlglass journeyed unto Rome to see the Pope, and how his
Holiness considered that Owlglass was an heretic._
It hath been every where seen, that Owlglass was a most knavish wight.
And when it had come to pass that he had worked these such deceiving
actions, he thought of the old proverb which saith:
“If that thou a knave wouldst see,
At Rome eftsoon thou’lt fitted be.”
And Owlglass was aweary of his own devices, and thereat wished that he
might find another like unto him. So departed he, and he journeyed
forward, and at last came unto Rome. There entered he into an inn, which
a widow kept, and she saw that he was a goodly man to look upon, and she
spake unto him, and asked him of what country was he. And Owlglass told
her that he was of the land of Saxony, and that he had come unto Rome
because that he craved to confer with the Pope touching a certain
business. Then answered the widow and said unto him: “The Pope canst
thou see, but as to speaking with him that mayest thou not do. I have
been bred and born in this place, and of gentle birth also, yet have I
never spoken with the Pope. How then, think ye, that ye will do this
thing? Truly would I give a hundred ducats an if that I could have
speech of him.” And Owlglass answered and said: “My good hostess an if I
gat ye speech of him would ye give me the hundred ducats?” The woman
said: “Marry that would I,” and straightway promised them unto him. But
she thought that it could never be that Owlglass would do this thing;
for she knew that it was a heavy and long labour to bring it about. But
Owlglass said unto her that if he did cause it to come to pass, then
would he demand the hundred ducats; and therewith were they both
content.
And Owlglass tarried until it fortuned that the Sunday came round, on
which the Pope read the mass in the chapel called Jerusalem, in the
church of the holy Saint John Lateran, the which he did once in every
four weeks. Then gat him Owlglass to the chapel, and thrust himself in
as near as might be unto the Pope’s person, and stood there; and when
that the host was lifted up, or a blessing given from the altar, then
did Owlglass turn his back thereunto, the which was a thing not fit to
be done. And thereafter was the Pope told of this, that a very proper
handsome man had stood at the mass and so acted. Then said his Holiness
that such a thing was an abomination, and that he feared the man who had
done so was in unbelief and an heretic. If that this were not punished,
it would be a great scandal. Then sent the Pope for Owlglass, and the
messengers came unto him and carried him before the Pope. Then said the
Pope unto Owlglass: “What manner of man art thou?” And Owlglass answered
and said: “I am a good Christian.” Then said the Pope: “What belief hast
thou?” To which Owlglass made reply: “That he was of the same belief as
his hostess,” and named her by name, and she was a woman well-known. And
the Pope commanded that she should be brought to him; and he asked her,
saying: “What belief hast thou, woman?” And she made answer unto the
Pope and said: “I am a thorough Christian, and a believer in that which
the Holy Church ordaineth is to be believed, and no other belief have
I.” In the which the good woman did marvellously resemble divers other
excellent Christians, which take from the mouth of ignorance the
confirming grace of wisdom.
Then stood Owlglass by, and with much humility, did seem to be very
pious, and said: “Most gracious Father! this true faith hold I also, and
that most firmly, and am a good Christian man.” Then said the Pope unto
him: “Wherefore dost thou turn thy back to the altar?” And Owlglass
answered and said: “That did I, forasmuch as I am a grievous sinner, and
one not worthy to behold the altar, as I have not received absolution
for my crimes.” Thereat was the Pope content, and giving him absolution,
he let Owlglass go; and he returned unto his inn, and demanded the
hundred ducats, the which the widow gave unto him. Yet found not
Owlglass the knave he sought, and himself was not a whit more honest
than before; so that his Roman journey did him no great good.
[Illustration: HOW OWLGLASS MAKETH THE COCK THE SECURITY FOR THE HENS.]
The Forty and Second Adventure.
_How that Owlglass without money bought poultry at Quedlingburg, and for
security gave unto the farmer’s wife the cock._
In all things of old time were the people not so knavish as is now the
case, especially they that are of the boors. On a time came Owlglass
unto Quedlingburg, while that it was the weekly market day therein. And
Owlglass had little provision; for when that it happened that he had
money, in like manner that he wan it, it departed from him again. So he
took counsel within himself, how that he might have good provision. And
there sate upon the market a woman, and before her had she a large
basket of live poultry, all hens; and among them was a cock. And
Owlglass spake unto her saying: “How much wilt thou have for thy
poultry?” And the woman made answer unto him, and said: “Truly mayest
thou have them for a couple of St. Stephen’s pennies.” Then said
Owlglass: “Wilt thou not give them cheaper?” But the woman said unto
him: “Nay”; and then took Owlglass the basket, and departed therewith
unto the town gate. Thereat ran the woman after him, and said unto him:
“Merchant, how shall I understand thee? Wilt thou not pay me for the
poultry?” Then said Owlglass: “Yea, most cheerily. I am the secretary of
my lord’s lady.” “That ask I not,” said the woman; “it brooks not me
what noble people thou mayest serve. If that thou wilt have the poultry,
then do thou pay me therefor, and with my lord or my lady have I nought
to do. My father taught me that with noble folk should I nor buy nor
sell, nor lend nor borrow. Therefore pay thou me that which I demand
from thee. Dost hear me?” And Owlglass said unto the woman: “Woman, thou
art of little faith; if that all folk were like unto thee, the rich
needy would not long have their needs answered. But so that ye may,
indeed, have surety, give I ye the cock, the which will I fetch when
that I bring ye the money and the basket.” Then took the good woman the
cock, and bethought her that of a truth was she rarely secured to
receive her money. But in all vain hopes can there be no happiness; for
Owlglass returned not again, nor had she satisfaction in any wise. And
unto such as make themselves so greatly sure, is it given to be
disappointed, wherefore when that Owlglass approacheth unto ye, do ye
straightway deliver up unto him that which he demandeth, lest with wily
ways he doth beguile ye of much more. And Owlglass thereafter departed
thence, and the good wife still kept her security.
The Forty and Third Adventure.
_How that Owlglass, with a knavish confession, did beguile the priest at
Riesenburg of his horse._
Never was Owlglass unready to commit a vile piece of knavery, when that
there was opportunity thereunto. Now there abode at Riesenburg the
priest thereof, and he had a maid serving-woman, who was of a comely
countenance, and thereto also a horse of much beauty, of the which he
was greatly fond. And at that time was the Duke of Brunswick at
Riesenburg, and had, by the agency of many persons, besought the priest
that he should let him have the horse, and for him would he pay many
more times than the value. But the priest at all times denied the prince
the favour, nor would in any wise grant him his desire, for he loved his
horse, and with violence might the horse not be taken.
And it came to pass, that this thing was told unto Owlglass, and he
understood it well; and he went unto the duke, and said unto him:
“Gracious lord, what wilt thou give unto me if that I bring unto thee
the priest his horse?” “If that thou canst do it,” answered the duke,
“will I give unto thee the coat which now I wear.” And the coat was of
red satin, set and broidered with pearls. And Owlglass accepted this,
and gat him away, and departed from Wolfenbüttel unto the village of
Riesenburg, and there entered into the priest’s house; for they were
well known the twain each to each, for of old times had Owlglass abode
with him and been welcome. And after that he had been there some three
days, he did bear himself in such wise, that he seemed to be sick unto
the death; and he laid himself down, and prepared for his end. And the
priest and his serving-maid were greatly vexed thereat, and grieved over
him. Thereafter grew Owlglass so ill, that the priest said unto him,
that, in truth, for his soul’s comfort, it was meet and fit that he
should make confession. And Owlglass grew mightily inclined thereunto,
but he begged the priest that he should make inquiry of him most
acutely. Then said the priest unto him, that he should discover his soul
unto him, and confess, for that in his lifetime had he wrought much
evil. And Owlglass made answer, that in his lifetime had he only done
one thing evil the which he regretted, and that would he not confess
unto him; but if they brought unto him another priest, then would he
confess, for he was afraid that the priest might be wroth with him.
Now when that the priest heard this thing, he thought that truly was
there somewhat hidden under the words of Owlglass, the which he craved
much to know; for priests are greatly more inquisitive than other men.
Therefore he opened his mouth, and said unto Owlglass: “Dear Owlglass,
the distance is great, and it would take me a long time to find another
priest; and if that ye did give up the ghost while that I sought thee
such an one, both thou and I would have a heavy sin to answer. Therefore
be not afraid, and confess unto me thy sin; and so heavy also it be,
will I absolve thee. An if I should grow angry thereover, what doth that
matter unto thee, for thy confession may I not tell unto another?” Then
answered Owlglass, and said unto him: “Verily, then will I confess unto
thee, for the sin is not so heavy that I may not tell it; but only I
feared thee, for it concerneth thyself.” Thereat waxed the priest the
more anxious to hear what Owlglass said, and he opened his ears to hear
him, and said unto him, that if he had stolen aught from him, or wrought
him any evil, let him only confess, and he would give him content, nor
visit it upon him in any wise. Then said Owlglass unto him: “Alas!
reverend sir, well know I that ye will be an angered with me. Yet I feel
that soon shall I depart out of this world, and, therefore, must I
relieve my soul of this confession. And of that which I did, most
reverend sir, must ye shrive me. For I have in thy church kissed thy
servant woman, the which I know to be an offence of much gravity against
the Church, and against all dignity likewise.” Thereat asked the priest
of Owlglass, how often that it might have happened. And Owlglass
answered, and said: “But five times.” Then did the priest give unto
Owlglass absolution; and he took a stick and departed unto the serving
woman, and told her that which Owlglass said. But she answered that it
was not so. But the priest said unto her, that Owlglass had confessed it
unto him. Thereat said she: “Nay,” and he: “Yea”; and with no more ado,
took her and gave unto her a sound beating, until that she was black and
blue all over. The while lay Owlglass in bed, and laughed, and thought:
“Bravely doth thy purpose go forward, and ere long will thy harvest
season approach.”
And he lay still all that night, and when that it was morning he arose,
and said: “Now am I whole, and well will it be if I depart unto another
country. What have I to pay thee?” And the priest was right glad to be
ridden of his guest, and he took his money, when that they reckoned. And
the woman-servant was glad also. Then said Owlglass unto the priest:
“Wherefore hast thou revealed to another my confession? Truly will I now
go unto Halberstadt before my lord the Bishop, and lay a complaint
against thee, for that thou hast been unfaithful in thy office.” Then
did the priest tremble, and think how he might content Owlglass that he
should not complain; and he entreated him and asked what he should give
him to be silent thereupon, and would he have twenty pieces to say no
word more? But Owlglass said: “An if ye gave unto me one hundred pieces,
would I not do this, and verily will I straightway depart thither.” And
the priest humbly, and with tears, besought him to refrain, and that he
would give him whatever he would have. Thereat said Owlglass: “Give then
unto me thy horse, and I will say no more; but the horse will I have.”
But the priest loved his beast, and desired not to give it away, and he
would rather have given unto Owlglass every penny that he had; but
Owlglass demanded that he should have the horse, and would hear no word.
So the priest gave unto Owlglass the horse, and he departed therewith,
and he came unto Wolfenbüttel, and there upon the bridge stood the duke,
and beheld the coming of Owlglass. Then took the duke the coat from off
his back and gave it unto him, and received the horse. And the duke
rejoiced greatly over Owlglass his cunning in beguiling the priest, and
made pleasant sport with the tale; and he gave unto our noble Master
Owlglass another horse; and the priest was wroth at losing his horse,
and he often did comfort himself by beating the maid sorely, until that
she departed from him. So lost the priest both horse and maid.
The Forty and Fourth Adventure.
_How that Owlglass did hire him to a smith, and what he did while with
him._
And it fortuned that on a time came Owlglass unto Rostock, in the land
of Mechlenburg, and hired him unto a smith there. The smith had a
favourite saying, when that he would have the bellows blown: “Ha! ho!
follow ye with the bellows!” Then stood Owlglass and blew, and the smith
spake unto him, saying: “Ha! ho! follow ye with the bellows!” And he gat
him into the court thereafter. Then came Owlglass behind him with the
bellows on his back, and laid it down beside him, and said: “Master,
behold I have done thy bidding! Where would you have me to put it?” Then
the master looked upon him and beheld what he had done, and said: “My
good man! so did I not mean it. Go thou in again and put it back where
it stood.” And Owlglass did as his master bade him, and placed it again
where it had been before. But the master thought within himself how he
might pay him handsomely for this knavery; and he resolved that for five
days he would rise every night at midnight to begin labour in the forge.
And he wakened all his men, and they began to labour. Then said Owlglass
his comrade unto him: “What is this thing that now we labour at
midnight? Wherefore is it; of old did our master not this thing?” And
Owlglass said: “Wilt thou that I shall ask of him wherefore it is?” And
his fellow said: “Yea;” and then Owlglass asked him. And the smith made
answer unto him, and said: “It is my rule that at first my men shall
not, for eight days, lie on my bed more than half the night.” And
Owlglass held his peace, and his companion dared not to speak.
[Illustration]
And it came to pass the next night that Owlglass and his fellow were
again awakened by the master; and the other man went down and fell to
work. Then took up Owlglass the bed, and, with cords, bound it upon his
back, and when that the iron was hot, he cometh down unto the forge, and
taketh a hammer, and beginneth to smite the iron, so that the sparks
flew into the bed and burned holes therein. Thereat said the smith:
“What is’t thou dost? Why didst not thou leave the bed lying in that
place where that it should lie?” Then answered Owlglass and spake unto
the smith, saying: “Master, be not angry; my rule is it that half the
night will I lie upon the bed, and the other half shall it lie upon me.”
Then the master waxed wroth, and said unto Owlglass: “Go thou lay the
bed where thou tookest it from;” and furthermore said he: “Marry, thou
knave, get thee up out of my house, and may I never see thee more, for
evil is the day in which I beheld thee.” And Owlglass said “Yea,” unto
the master’s commands, and he went and laid back the bed upon its place.
Then gat he a ladder, and climbed up into the garret, and he broke
through the roof, and mounted up and drew the ladder after him, and so
gat him up out of the house as his master told him, and thereafter
descended he unto the street, and left the ladder, and so departed. And
the smith heard the noise that he made, and ran up stairs, and lo! there
was a great hole in the roof.
Then grew he yet more angry, and sought his pike, and departed in haste,
and ran after Owlglass. But the other man held him, and said: “Nay,
master, do not this thing, for behold, he did but that which thou didst
command him. Thou didst say: ‘Get thee _up_ out of my house,’ and that
hath he done, for he hath departed through this hole in the roof.” And
the smith was persuaded; and was not that the best thing? What booted it
unto him; he could not longer lay hands upon Owlglass, for he had
departed thence. So he fell to mending his roof, and the fellow of
Owlglass said: “With such comrades, can but little be won. And he that
knoweth not Owlglass, let him only have to do with him, he shall surely
know him well in no long time.”
The Forty and Fifth Adventure.
_How that Owlglass did cause all the tools, hammers, and tongs of a
smith to be as one mass of iron._