1 A man who could not enjoy his wife, freed from his disorder.
5 A young man who had been bewitched, and turned into a
mule miraculously cured by Christ being put on his back,
28 and is married to the girl who had been cured of leprosy.
THEY came afterwards to another
city, and had a mind to lodge there.
2 Accordingly they went to a man's
house, who was newly married
but by the influence of sorcerers
could not enjoy his wife.
3 But they lodging at his house
that night, the man was freed of
his disorder.
4 And when they were preparing
early in the morning to go forward
on their jouney, the new-married
person hindered them, and
provided a noble entertainment
for them.
5 But going forward on the
morrow, they came to another
city, and saw three women going
from a certain grave with great
weeping.
6 When St. Mary saw them, she
spake to the girl who was their
companion, saying, Go and inquire
of them, what is the matter with
them, and what misfortune has
befallen them?
7 When the girl asked them,
they made her no answer, but
asked her again, Who are ye? and
where are you going? For the day
is far spent, and night is at hand.
8 We are travellers, saith the
girl, and we are seeking for an inn
to lodge at.
9 They replied, Go along with
us, and lodge with us.
10 They then followed them,
and were introduced into a new
house, well furnished with all
sorts of furniture.
11 Now it was winter-time, and
the girl went into the parlour
where these women were, and
found them weeping and lamenting
as before.
12 By them stood a mule, covered
over with silk, and an ebony collar
hanging down from his neck, whom
they kissed and were feeding.
13 But when the girl said, How
handsome, ladies, that mule is!
they replied with tears, and said,
This mule, which you see, was our
brother, born of this same mother
as we;
14 For when our father died,
and left us a very large estate, and
we had only this brother, and we
endeavoured to procure him a suitable
match, and thought he should
be married as other men, some
giddy and jealous women bewitched
him without our knowledge.
15 And we one night, a little before
day, while the doors of the house
were all shut fast, saw this our
brother was changed into a mule,
such as you now see him to be:
16 And we in the melancholy
condition in which you see us,
having no father to comfort us,
have applied to all the wise men,
magicians, and diviners in the
world, but they have been of no
service to us.
17 As often therefore as we find
ourselves oppressed with grief, we
rise and go with this our mother
to our father's tomb, where, when
we have cried sufficiently, we
return home.
18 When the girl had heard this
she said, Take courage, and cease
your fears, for you have a remedy
for your afflictions near at hand
even amoung you and in the midst
of your house.
19 For I was also leprous; but
when I saw this woman, and this
little infant with her, whose name
is Jesus, I sprinkled my body with
the water with which his mother
had washed him and I was
presently made well.
20 And I am certain that he is
also capable of relieving you under
your distress. Wherefore arise,
go to my mistress Mary, and when
you have brought her into your
own parlour, disclose to her the
secret, at the same time earnestly
beseeching her to compassionate
your case.
21 As soon as the women had
heard the girl's discourse, they
hastened away to the Lady St.
Mary, introduced themselves to
her, and sitting down before her,
they wept.
22 And said, O our Lady St.
Mary, pity your handmaids, for
we have no head of our family, no
one elder than us; no father or
brother to go in or out before us.
23 But this mule, which you
see, was our brother, which some
women by witchcraft have brought
into this condition which you see:
we therefore entreat you to
compassionate us.
24 Hereupon St. Mary was
grieved at their case, and taking
the Lord Jesus, put him upon the
back of the mule.
25 And said to her son, O Jesus
Christ, restore (or heal) according
to thy extraordinary power this
mule, and grant him to have again
the shape of a man and a rational
creature, as he had formerly.
26 This was scarce said by the
Lady St. Mary, but the mule
immediately passed into a human
form, and became a young man
without any deformity.
27 Then he and his mother and
the sisters worshipped the Lady
St. Mary, and lifting the child
upon their heads, they kissed him,
and said, Blessed is thy mother,
O Jesus, O Saviour of the world!
Blessed are the eyes which are
so happy to see thee.
28 Then both the sisters told
their mother, saying, Of a truth,
our brother is restored to his former
shape by the help of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and the kindness
of that girl who told us of Mary
and her son.
29 And inasmuch as our brother
is unmarried, it is fit that we
marry him to this girl their
servant.
30 When they had consulted
Mary in this matter, and she had
given her consent, they made a
splendid wedding for this girl.
31 And so their sorrow being
turned into gladness, and their
mourning into mirth, they began
to rejoice, and to make merry,
and sing, being dressed in their
richest attire, with bracelets.
32 Afterwards they glorified and
praised God, saying, O Jesus, son
of David, who changest sorrow
into gladness, and mourning into
mirth!
33 After this Joseph and Mary
tarried there ten days, then went
away, having received great
respect from these people.
34 Who, when they took their
leave of them, and returned home,
cried,
35 But especially the girl.