yet he judged that it was too soon for his man to get him to bed. And
there lay a coat in the shop, the which had been finished, all save the
arms, which should be sewed on. This took he, and gave it unto Owlglass,
saying: “Whip me these arms to the coat, and then mayest thou sleep.”
And Owlglass answered: “Yea;” and therewith departed the tailor. Then
did Owlglass light two candles, and he hung the coat on a hook, and made
him a whip with whipcord, and ’gan to whip the sleeves, so that he might
get them unto the coat. Yet stirred they not. And when that his candles
were burned down, gat he two more, and lighted them, and burned candles
through the whole night. At last arose the master, and came unto
Owlglass into the shop, and said unto him: “What mystery play ye here?”
And Owlglass answered gravely, and said: “No mystery is this, but hard
labour; for the whole night through have I stood here, and whipped me
these sleeves with whipcord, yet move they not unto the coat. Better had
it been if that ye had bid me sleep; for ye surely knew that I must lose
my labour.” Then answered the tailor, and said: “Lay ye that to my
charge? Am I ever to be finding ye brains to understand that which I
say? Didst not see that I meant that ye should sew the sleeves on to the
coat?” Answered straightway unto him Owlglass: “Nay; but, in the evil
one’s name, how can ye think that it be my fault, that when ye say one
thing I should understand ye to mean another thing? If that I had known
what ye would have done, would I not have sewn the sleeves on, and then
slept an hour or twain? Now may ye sit ye down, for I will get me unto
my bed.” Thereat said the tailor: “Not so; I will not receive into my
house folk that lazy be and sleep.” Then did they strive together in
anger; and the tailor would have payment of Owlglass for the candles he
had burned, but this would not Owlglass give him; therefore took he that
which belonged unto him, and departed.
The Fifty and Fourth Adventure.
_How that Owlglass caused three tailors to fall from their board, and
then would have persuaded the people that the wind had blown them down._
On the market at Brandenburg, Owlglass abode in an inn for a matter of
fourteen days. And hard by there dwelt a tailor, and on his board had he
three of his men sitting at work. And when that Owlglass passed by over
against them, they did nothing but mock him, and throw rags after him.
And all this time kept Owlglass silence; and one day when that it was a
full market-day, did he secretly the night before saw through the posts
which held up the board, and so left them standing. In the morning did
the men put the board on the posts, and sate them down as usual, and
sewed. At the time when that the swineherd blew his horn that every one
might drive forth his swine, came the tailor’s swine forth likewise, and
ran under the window, and against the posts began to rub themselves;
then came down the three tailors, and fell upon the ground, and sorely
hurt themselves. And when Owlglass marked that they fell, he cried with
a loud voice: “Behold, ye people, of what light account are tailors,
when that by the wind three are blown down from the board!” These words
of Owlglass heard the whole market, and the people therein. Then ran all
the market-place in great haste, and laughed, and mocked the tailors
with great scorn; and then did the tailors abuse each one the other with
much evil language, for they wist not how it had come to pass that they
had fallen. At last did they behold that the posts were sawed through,
and knew well that it was Owlglass. Then did they set new posts in the
ground, but mocked him no longer.
The Fifty and Fifth Adventure.
_How that Owlglass assembled all the tailors throughout the whole land
of Saxony, by proclaiming that he would teach them a mighty useful
thing, that would get bread both for them and their children._
On a time, Owlglass made proclamation in the whole of the Wendic Union,
and in the land of Saxony, that is, in Holstein, Pommern, Stettin, and
Mecklenburg, and likewise in Lübeck, Hamburg, in the Sound, and at
Wismar; and in his letters said, that truly the tailors in those parts
should come unto him, for tidings of great joy and content did he bring,
and a cunning and rare art would he disclose unto them, by the which
they should have great comfort and gain, and their children after them.
And he said, that they should come unto him into the town of Rostock,
and so should assemble together. Then did they all make answer unto
Owlglass, that for so great an art would they willingly come, and learn
that art of which he spake.
And so came they all together upon occasion to Rostock; and the folks
were all amazed as to why so great a number of tailors came and abode in
that town. When that Owlglass also heard that they had approached and
entered into the town, he was right glad; and he let them grow in
multitude until that among these tailors were a goodly number of men.
Thereafter spake they unto Owlglass, and said unto him, that, according
unto his word, they had come together, and that they would fain learn of
him what that art was which they should be taught, and the which should
benefit both them and their children. Then besought they him that he
should soon teach them; and rarely would they recompence him therefor.
And Owlglass answered, and said unto them: “Yea; do ye all together come
into a field, so that all may hear.” And according unto his saying did
they.
Then gat him Owlglass up into a house, which overlooked the field, and
there looked he forth from a window; and he lifted up his voice, and
said unto them: “Honourable artificers in the tailoring trade, I bid ye
mark and perceive, that when ye have by ye scissors, ellwand, thread,
thimble, needle, and a smoothing-iron, the which ye call a goose, then
have ye enough tools for your business; and to get them, therein is no
art, for common is it, and cometh of itself. But do ye steadfastly learn
of me this art, and bear ye me in mind when that ye do it. When that ye
take a thread, forget ye not at the end thereof that is contrary unto
that which ye thread in the needle to make a knot, or, in good sooth, ye
will make many a stitch in vain.” Thereat did one tailor look upon his
neighbour; and they each one said unto the other: “Lo! was not this a
thing well known unto all of us, and of old time a rule among us?” Then
did they ask him whether he had anything further to tell them. “Verily!
for phantasy’s sake would not we have come twelve weary miles, or
despatched from one to the other messengers of speed; and this art ye
have told us have we known these thousand years.” Then answered Owlglass
unto the tailors, and said unto them: “That which hath been known these
thousand years is marked of no man; and when that people are bidden to
think upon it, do they not in any wise thank the speaker.” Therefore
might they depart again unto where they had come from. Then were the
tailors who had come from afar very wroth with Owlglass, and would fain
have come to him, and beaten him; but he was nimble and escaped them.
Then conferred they one with the other, and laughed, and said: “Truly
was it their own fault that they were thus befooled; for knew they not
of old what a slippery fellow was this same Owlglass?”
The Fifty and Sixth Adventure.
_How that Owlglass beat wool upon a saint’s day, and that very high._
And when that Owlglass came unto Stendal, he gave it out, that he was a
woolstapler, and hired himself unto a master in that town. Then upon a
Sunday spake the master unto him, saying: “Mark ye, my good fellow, upon
a Monday do ye commonly keep holiday, and that love I not in any man who
cometh into my house; for here must all diligently labour.” And Owlglass
made answer: “That pleaseth me right well, master.” So he gat him up
early on the Monday, and laboured hard, and the same thing did he on
Tuesday; and that pleased the master exceedingly. And on the Wednesday
there fell a saint’s day, the which was a holy day and should be kept;
yet gat Owlglass to his labour again, and ’gan to work and beat his
wool, so that ye might hear him right down the street. The master arose
from his bed when that he heard the noise, and cried unto Owlglass with
a loud voice: “Be ye still; be ye still; to-day is a holy day, and we
may not labour.” Then said Owlglass: “Dear master, said ye not on
Sunday, that ye loved not that one should be idle on a holy day; but ye
said, that I should work the whole week through.” And the woolstapler
answered him: “Nay; but I meant not that. Leave thy labour now, and that
which thou wouldst have earned to-day will I pay thee.” And this fitted
Owlglass right well; and he kept the holy day, and at eventide he supped
with his master. Then conferred they; and the master said unto him, that
the wool contented him not, and he bade Owlglass, that he should beat it
up a little higher. And Owlglass said: “Yea;” and in the morning he
arose from his bed early, and fixed up the frame to the beam, and gat
him a ladder, and mounted thereupon, and with his rod beat the wool, so
that all the town could hear the noise. The while lay the master in bed,
and he perceived right certainly that Owlglass was not beating the wool
as he should do; therefore he gat up, and went, and looked upon him. And
he spake unto him jestingly: “By my troth, and if ye stood upon the roof
so would ye be yet higher; and little would it rede whether ye stood on
the ladder or the roof.” And therewith departed he unto the church.
Thereupon did Owlglass take the frame, and climbed up on the roof, and
there beat the wool. That saw his master from the street as he came
along; and he cried aloud unto him, and came running: “Ha! ho! what do
ye there upon the roof? Is that a thing ye should do, to beat the wool
upon the roof?” And Owlglass said: “Truly did I according unto thy
words. For thou didst say, that it would be better upon the roof than
the ladder, for that the roof was higher than the beam.” And the
woolstapler said: “Play ye no more of your knaveries; get ye forth from
my house, nor do ye again come hither.” Thereat departed Owlglass, and
lamented that he could never earn any thanks.
The Fifty and Seventh Adventure.
_How that Owlglass was hired by a furrier, and did sleep among the
skins._
On a time did Owlglass take service with a furrier, and when that it was
night, he bade Owlglass get him to work and hang out the skins. But
Owlglass loved not the labour, and would fain have escaped therefrom.
And he spake unto his master, saying: “How is this that with so ill
savour this smelleth. I’ faith, I cannot bear it!” And the furrier
answered him and said: “Verily, it seemeth unto me that of this trade
knowest thou nought. For an if thou hadst slept only four nights among
the furs, then wouldst thou no longer mark their ill savour.” Then said
Owlglass: “Four nights will I sleep among the skins, master, and then
shall I not mark it.” So the furrier gat him to bed. And behold,
Owlglass took the skins which were prepared, and which hung upon the
wall, and he took also the skins which were dry; and lastly, took he the
wet skins; and he cast them together upon the floor of the loft, and
crept in among them and slept until the morning. When that it was day,
then rose up his master, and he beheld that the skins were taken from
the wall; and he ran unto the loft, and spake unto Owlglass to inquire
of him what it might fortune that he knew about the skins. And he
perceived not Owlglass; but lo! his eyes fell upon the skins, which, wet
and dry, lay together in a heap one with the other. Thereat was he
strangely moved, and with a weeping voice called the maid and the women
folk; and these cries did cause Owlglass to awake, and he looked forth
from among the skins, and said: “Honoured master, what may it be that
doth move ye so to cry out and to clamour?” Then did the furrier marvel
greatly, and knew not what might be in the heap of skins.
And he opened his mouth, and said unto Owlglass: “Where art thou?” And
Owlglass to him answered: “Behold, here am I.” Then said the master:
“That good fortune may never come unto thee! Hast taken me the dry furs
from the wall, and the wet from the lime-pit, and cast me them together
in this heap, so that they be spoiled. What wilt thou with this
phantasy?” But the wise and prudent Master Owlglass answered him and
said: “How, master, be ye not angry! for an if ye be angry for that I
have slept one night amidst the skins, what will ye be when that I have
slept the four nights ye enjoined me; for ye said that I knew nought of
the labour.” Then said the furrier: “Now liest thou like unto a false
and ready knave! I bid thee not carry together the wet and the dry, and
sleep amid them after this wise!” Then sought the furrier for a stick,
and tried to beat Owlglass. But then went Owlglass towards the door to
depart thence; and as he went he met the wife of the furrier, and the
maid servant, and they would fain have held him. But he said unto them:
“Peace be with ye, good friends, let me hasten for a chirurgeon, for my
master hath fallen, and his leg hath broken!” Then they let him go, and
ran up the stairs unto the master; but he came running down at a great
pace, and overthrew the maid and his good wife, and they all stumbled
and fell together. Yet our good master had speedily departed, and gotten
him thence with all haste.
The Fifty and Eighth Adventure.
_How that Owlglass on a time, at Berlin, did make wolves._
Of a cunning and wily mind are the Swabians, and where they come and
find not victual, ye may approve it of a certainty that other folk will
starve. Yet are they more lovers of the beer jug, and of drinking, than
thoughtful of their labour, so comes it likewise that their business
lieth but sadly. Now it happened on a time that at Berlin lived a
furrier, and he was in Swabia born, and in his art was he most handy,
and had much business, and thereto was rich, with a good workshop, by
the which he had gained much, as he served those which held lands, and
moneys, and houses, and goodly titles. And it came to pass that one
winter season a great and noble prince, with all his court, desired to
hunt; and they commanded the furrier to prepare for them not a few wolf
skins to wear. Of this was Owlglass told, so he gat him unto the
furrier, and besought him that he would give unto him work, that he
might have money and food. At that time, also, did the master lack
people, and was right glad that Owlglass had come unto him; and he spake
unto him, and asked him, if that he would make such wolves. And Owlglass
answered: “That he was of the land of Saxony, and knew well how to make
them.” Then said the furrier unto him: “Truly art thou well come unto
me, and I bid thee stay. And touching the reward of thy pains will we
agree, and thou shalt abide with me, and have a good time while that
thou stayest.” Owlglass answered and said unto the furrier: “Yea,
master, I do bethink me that thou art right honest and true; and I crave
nothing so much as that ye shall know me for what manner of man I am,
when that ye behold my labour. But I work not in fellowship with other
men; but ever alone in mine own company.”
Then did the furrier allot unto Owlglass a small chamber wherein he
abode; and he received from the furrier the metage of certain furs, and
the wolves’ skins. Then took Owlglass the wolves’ skins as they were,
and cut them, and made of them a number of wolves; and these he stuffed
full of hay, and gat feet made of sticks, and they stood up in manner as
if they lived. And when that he had thus cut up all the furs, and made
an end of his labours, he cried aloud to his master: “Ho! master, come
hither; truly have I ended my labour, and made the wolves.” And the
master answered and said: “Yea, my good man, verily have I yet much
labour to do! Be thou diligent, and continue as thou art.” Then turned
he about to go thence, and he beheld the wolves standing in the chamber,
and he lifted up his voice thereat, and cried aloud in great anger:
“What is this that thou hast done! Thou bird of unhappy fortune! what
evil hast thou wrought unto me? For this will I have thee cast into
gaol, and thou shalt suffer therefor.” Then answered Owlglass and said:
“Master, call ye that my reward and my thanks. Ye commanded me that I
should make wolves, and wolves have I also made. Had ye but said that I
should make wolf furs, then had I understood ye, and also have done it
with great joy. In the beginning should ye have explained carefully unto
one that is a stranger that which ye would have. And, indeed, had it
appeared unto me that I should have gained no greater thanks than that
which hath been given me, then would I not have wrought thy work in any
wise.” Then departed Owlglass from Berlin, and gat him into the city of
Leipzig.
The Fifty and Ninth Adventure.
_How that Owlglass, being servant unto a great lord, did fetch for him
wine and beer together in a most delectable manner._
Once again did Owlglass take service with a noble lord, and became unto
him body servant. And it fortuned, that this master of his loved good
cheer,—the which is a thing not rare among all manner of men,—and
especially loved he a cup of generous wine, or a deep draught of good
beer.
It came to pass, that on a time Owlglass and his master journeyed
together, and lay at an inn. And the day was hot, and they twain were
faint, for they had ridden hard. Then spake the lord unto his
serving-man Owlglass, and said: “Go thou and find mine host the landlord
of this inn, and fetch him unto me.” That did Owlglass on that instant;
for well knew he, that when the master drank the man was seldom dry. And
his lord spake unto the host, and said unto him: “Lo! we have come far,
and the sun hath burned us so that we be dry, and would have some
drink.” And the host answered him: “Verily, in all the wide world, and
the Duchy of Mecklenburg to boot, is there no such liquor as in my
cellar. Therefore have ye come unto the best place to slake your
thirst.” Then commanded the master, that Owlglass should depart with the
host; and he said unto him: “I know not the which is best, therefore do
thou bring me good store of both wine and beer, and bring ye them
together.” And Owlglass said: “Yea;” and departed with the host. Then
the host meted unto him both of wine and of beer; and Owlglass said unto
himself: “If that I faint then loseth my master his good servant;
therefore, that I may truly serve him, will I first drink, for
peradventure I shall not have strength to bring the liquor unto my
lord.” Therefore drank he merrily the half of the wine and the half of
the beer, and remembered his lord’s words, that they should be together;
therefore mingled he the wine and the beer in one measure, and gave unto
his lord to drink. And when that the lord found how delectable was the
mixture, he waxed very wroth, and said unto Owlglass: “What is this that
thou hast done, and what vile liquor is this?” “Truly, my lord,” quoth
honest Owlglass, “it is wine and beer mingled together, as ye enjoined
me to bring unto ye.” But his master perceived it was a knavery, and
bade Owlglass to depart from his sight; for, of a truth, was his
beguiling most evilly done. But sorrowfully departed Owlglass, for he
thought that he wrought no harm in doing the thing which was commanded
unto him. Indeed, my masters, often times falleth the evil temper of the
one upon the other; and for the too exact enactment of the commands of
the master is the man chidden.
The Sixtieth Adventure.
_How that Owlglass for a tanner prepared leather with stools and
benches, at the good city of Brunswick on the Dam._
Now it fortuned that as Owlglass journeyed from Leipzig, he came unto
Brunswick to a tanner there, who made ready the leather for the
shoemaker. And it was winter time, and he said unto himself: “Now shalt
thou stay the winter through with this tanner.” Then agreed they
together, and he hired himself unto him. And after that eight days had
gone by, it came to pass that the tanner desired to depart unto a feast,
and he commanded Owlglass the while that he should make ready some
leather. For he said unto him: “The cauldron of leather prepare ye.” And
Owlglass asked him: “What shall I do it with? and where shall I find
wood for the fire?” And the tanner answered and said unto him:
“Wherefore ask ye such an idle question? If that I had no wood upon the
wood-heap, have I yet store of stools and benches enough in the house,
with the which thou mayest prepare the leather.” And Owlglass answered:
“Yea;” and then departed the tanner. Then did Owlglass take a cauldron,
and hung it over the fire, and put one skin of leather after another
therein, and boiled the leather until it was so soft that ye might, with
two fingers, rend it in twain. And when that Owlglass found this he took
a hatchet, and therewith hewed in pieces every stool and bench the which
were in the house, and he put them in the fire under the cauldron, and
boiled the leather yet more until that he looked therein again, and lo!
these stools and benches were all burned up. Then took he the leather
out of the cauldron, and put it in a heap, and departed out of the house
and the city, and continued his journeying.
But the tanner thought not a jot upon the matter, but ate and drank, and
gat him to bed, and slept. Next morning ’gan he to think it was time he
should see what labour had been fulfilled of his man; therefore he
arose, and went unto the workshop, and found the heap of leather so
marred, and neither stool or bench in the place. Then grew he right
angry, and went unto his wife, and said unto her: “Behold, I fear our
man that we hired was Owlglass, that great knave, cheat, and beguiler;
for it is his custom to do everything that is told according to the
words spoken unto him. And now hath he departed, and marred me all the
leather, and burned me up every stool and bench the which stood in our
house.” Then wept his wife, and spake unto him, saying: “Get ye after
him with all speed, and bring him back hither.” But the tanner said:
“Nay, that will I not do. I have had of him enough.” And perchance was
this saying true.
The Sixty and First Adventure.
_How that Owlglass was groom unto a noble lord, and what knavery he
wrought unto his lord’s horse, Rosimond._
On a time it fortuned, that with a lord of great wealth and much land,
our noble Master Owlglass took service. Now this most noble gentleman,
when that he entered into the lord his household, was made to be groom
of the horses; and his lord commanded and enjoined him, that he should
have a great care of the horses, and in especial he desired Owlglass to
dress and tend a horse of a milk-white skin and gentle blood, named
Rosimond. And this horse did his lord love better than any other steed;
for that it was of a disposition most rare. Yet did Owlglass none the
less bethink him of a knavery the which he might do unto this lord; for
from a deceitful beguiling could he at no time refrain. But he answered
his lord when that he charged him; and spake unto him, saying: “Yea, my
good lord and master; all that ye bid me to do will I with great
diligence perform.” And therewith departed his lord from him, and
rejoiced with great content that he had obtained for himself so
excellent a groom.