Mediaeval Tales Part 24

Celestinus, during the absence of his master, applied himself diligently to study, but he was unable to do his task. This much troubled him; and the devil, ever on the alert, met him in the likeness of a man, and said, "My son, what has made you so sorrowful?"

_Celest._ "Never mind; it is no use telling you."

_Devil._ "You know not that; tell me, and I will help you."

_Celest._ "I am charged, under a heavy punishment, to make some verses about a scabby horse and two sheep, and I don't know how."

_Devil._ "Young man, I am the devil in a human form, and the best poet going; care nothing about your master, but promise to serve me faithfully, and I will compose such delectable verses for you that they shall excel those of your pedagogue himself."

Celestinus, tempted by this insidious proposal, gave his word to serve him faithfully if he fulfilled his engagement.

The devil then produced the following verses:--

Bound by a thong, that pa.s.sed along A horse's mangy hide; Two sheep there lay, as I you say, One upon either side.

The steed uprose, and upward goes Each sheep with dangling breech; Borne by the horse's rapid course, The miller's hut they reach.

Scattering the fire, with reckless ire, The rafters caught the flame; And bleating breed and scabby steed Were roasted in the same.

Now had that wight, that miller hight, Vouchsafed his house to keep; Ere he returned, it had not burned, Nor burned his horse and sheep.[8]

The boy, made happy by the present, returned home.

_Master._ "My child, have you stolen your verses, or made them?"

_Celest._ "I made them, sir."

He then read what we have given above; and the master, struck with the greatest astonishment at their uncommon beauty, exclaimed, "My dear boy, tell me if any one made these verses for you?"

_Celest._ "No, sir; no one did."

_Master._ "Unless you tell me the truth, I will flog you till the blood run."

The lad, fearful of what might follow, declared all that occurred, and how he had bound himself to the devil. The preceptor, grieved at the communication, induced the youth to confess himself, and renounce this fearful confederacy. When this was done he became a holy man; and after a well-spent life, gave up his soul to G.o.d.

XXVIII.--BRED IN THE BONE.

There reigned some time in Rome a wise and mighty emperor, named Anselm, who did bear in his arms a s.h.i.+eld of silver with five red roses. This emperor had three sons, whom he loved much. He had also continual war with the king of Egypt, in which war he lost all his temporal goods except a precious tree. It fortuned after on a day that he gave battle to the same king of Egypt, wherein he was grievously wounded; nevertheless, he obtained the victory, notwithstanding he had his deadly wound. Wherefore, while he lay at point of death, he called unto his eldest son, and said: "My dear and well-beloved son, all my temporal riches are spent, and almost nothing is left me but a precious tree, the which stands in the midst of my empire. I give to thee all that is under the earth and above the earth of the same tree." "O my reverend father," quoth he, "I thank you much."

Then said the emperor, "Call to me my second son." Anon the eldest son, greatly joying of his father's gift, called in his brother. And when he came, the emperor said, "My dear son, I may not make my testament, forasmuch as I have spent all my goods, except a tree which stands in the midst of mine empire, of the which tree, I bequeath to thee all that is great and small." Then answered he and said, "My reverend father, I thank you much."

Then said the emperor, "Call to me my third son." And so it was done.

And when he was come the emperor said, "My dear son, I must die of these wounds, and I have only a precious tree, of which I have given thy brethren their portion, and to thee I bequeath thy portion; for I will that thou have of the said tree all that is wet and dry." Then said his son, "Father, I thank you."

Soon after the emperor had made his bequest, he died. And the eldest son took possession of the tree. Now when the second son heard this, he came to him, saying, "My brother, by what law or t.i.tle occupy you this tree?"

"Dear brother," quoth he, "I occupy it by this t.i.tle: my father gave me all that is under the earth, and above of the said tree, by reason thereof the tree is mine." "Unknowing to thee," quoth the second brother, "he gave unto me all that is great and small of the said tree, and therefore I have as great right in the tree as you." This hearing, the third son he came to them and said, "My well-beloved brethren, it behoveth you not to strive for this tree, for I have as much right in the tree as ye, for by the law ye wot that the last will and testament ought to stand, for of truth he gave me of the said tree all that is wet and dry, and therefore the tree by right is mine; but forasmuch as your words are of great force and mine also, my counsel is that we be judged by reason, for it is not good nor commendable that strife or dissension should be among us. Here beside dwelleth a king full of reason; therefore, to avoid strife, let us go to him, and each of us lay his right before him, and as he shall judge, let us stand to his judgment." Then said his brethren, "Thy counsel is good." Wherefore they went all three unto the king of reason, and each of them severally showeth forth his right unto him, as it is said before.

When the king had heard the t.i.tles, he rehea.r.s.ed them all again severally, first saying to the eldest son thus: "You say," quoth the king, "that your father gave you all that is under the earth and above the earth of the said tree. And to the second brother he bequeathed all that is great and small of that tree. And to the third brother he gave all that is wet and dry."

And with that he laid the law to them, and said that this will ought to stand.

"Now, my dear friends, briefly I shall satisfy all your requests;" and when he had thus said, he turned him unto the eldest brother, saying, "My dear friend, if you list to abide the judgment of right, it behoveth you to be letten blood of the right arm." "My lord," quoth he, "your will shall be done." Then the king called for a discreet physician, commanding him to let him blood.

When the eldest son was letten blood, the king said unto them all three, "My dear friends, where is your father buried?" Then answered they, and said, "Forsooth, my lord, in such a place." Anon the king commanded to dig in the ground for the body, and to take a bone out of his breast, and to bury the body again: and so it was done. And when the bone was taken out, the king commanded that it should be laid in the blood of the elder brother, and it should lie till it had received kindly the blood, and then to be laid in the sun and dried, and after that it should be washed with clear water. His servants fulfilled all that he had commanded: and when they began to wash, the blood vanished clean away; when the king saw this, he said to the second son, "It behoveth that thou be letten blood, as thy brother was." Then said he, "My lord's will shall be fulfilled," and anon he was done unto like as his brother was in all things, and when they began to wash the bone, the blood vanished away. Then said the king to the third son, "It behoveth thee to be letten blood likewise." He answered and said, "My lord, it pleaseth me well so to be." When the youngest brother was letten blood, and done unto in all things as the two brethren were before, then the king's servants began to wash the bone, but neither for was.h.i.+ng nor rubbing might they do away the blood of the bone, but it ever appeared b.l.o.o.d.y: when the king saw this, he said, "It appeareth openly now that this blood is of the nature of the bone, thou art his true son, and the other two are b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. I judge thee the tree for evermore."

XXIX.--FULGENTIUS.

In Rome some time dwelt a mighty emperor named Martin, which for entire affection kept with him his brother's son, whom men called Fulgentius.

With this Martin dwelt also a knight that was steward of the empire, and uncle unto the emperor, which envied this Fulgentius, studying day and night how he might bring the emperor and this youth at debate. Wherefore the steward on a day went to the emperor, and said, "My lord," quoth he, "I that am your true servant, am bound in duty to warn your highness, if I hear anything that toucheth your honour, wherefore I have such things that I must needs utter it in secret to your majesty between us two."

Then said the emperor, "Good friend, say on what thee list."

"My most dear lord," quoth the steward, "Fulgentius, your cousin and your nigh kinsman, hath defamed you wonderfully and shamefully throughout all your whole empire, saying that your breath stinketh, and that it is death to him to serve your cup." Then the emperor was grievously displeased, and almost beside himself for anger, and said unto him thus: "I pray thee, good friend, tell me the very truth, if that my breath stinketh as he saith?" "My lord," quoth the steward, "ye may believe me, I never perceived a sweeter breath in my days than yours is."

"Then," said the emperor, "I pray thee, good friend, tell me how I may bring this thing to good proof."

The steward answered and said: "My lord," quoth he, "ye shall right well understand the truth; for to-morrow next when he serveth you of your cup, ye shall see that he will turn away his face from you, because of your breath, and this is the most certain proof that may be had of this thing." "Verily," quoth the emperor, "a truer proof cannot be had of this thing." Therefore anon, when the steward heard this, he went straight to Fulgentius, and took him aside, saying thus: "Dear friend, thou art near kinsman and also nephew unto my lord the emperor, therefore if thou wilt be thankful unto me, I will tell thee of a fault whereof my lord the emperor complaineth oft, and thinks to put thee from him, except it be the sooner amended, and that will be a great reproof to thee." Then said this Fulgentius: "Ah, good sir, for his love that died upon the cross, tell me why my lord is so sore moved with me, for I am ready to amend my fault in all that I can or may, and for to be ruled by your discreet counsel."

"Thy breath," quoth the steward, "stinketh so sore, that his drink doth him no good, so grievous unto him is the stinking breath of thy mouth."

Then said Fulgentius unto the steward: "Truly; that perceived I never till now. But what think ye of my breath? I pray you tell me the very truth." "Truly," quoth the steward, "it stinketh greatly and foul." And this Fulgentius believed all that he had said, and was right sorrowful in his mind, and prayed the steward of his counsel and help in this woeful case. Then said the steward unto him, "If that thou wilt do my counsel, I shall bring this matter to a good conclusion; wherefore do as I shall tell thee.

"I counsel thee for the best, and also warn thee that when thou servest my lord the emperor of his cup, that thou turn thy face away from him, so that he may not smell thy stinking breath, until the time that thou hast provided thee of some remedy therefore."

Then was Fulgentius right glad, and sware to him that he would do by his counsel.

Not long after it befell that this young man Fulgentius served his lord as he was wont to do, and therewith suddenly he turned his face from the lord the emperor, as the steward had taught him.

And when the emperor perceived the avoiding of his head, he smote this young Fulgentius on the breast with his foot, and said to him thus: "O thou lewd varlet; now I see well it is true that I have heard of thee, and therefore go thou anon out of my sight, that I may see thee no more in this place." And with that this young Fulgentius wept full sore, and avoided the place, and went out of his sight.

And when this was done, the emperor called unto him his steward, and said, "How may I rid this varlet from the world, that thus hath defamed me?" "My most dear lord," quoth the steward, "right well you shall have your intent.

"For here beside, within these three miles, ye have brickmakers, which daily make great fire, for to burn brick, and also they make lime; therefore, my lord, send to them this night, charge them upon pain of death, that whosoever cometh to them first in the morning, saying to them thus, 'My lord commandeth them to fulfil his will,' that they take him and cast him into the furnace and burn him: and this night command you this Fulgentius, that he go early in the morning to your workmen, and that he ask them whether they have fulfilled your will which they were commanded or not; and then shall they, according to your commandment, cast him into the fire, and thus shall he die an evil death."

"Surely," quoth the emperor, "thy counsel is good; therefore call to me that varlet Fulgentius." And when the young man was come to the emperor's presence, he said to him thus: "I charge thee upon pain of death, that thou rise early in the morning, and go to the burners of lime and brick, and that thou be with them early before the sun rise, three miles from this house, and charge them in my behalf, that they fulfil my commandment, or else they shall die a most shameful death."

Then spake this Fulgentius: "My lord, if G.o.d send me my life, I shall fulfil your will, were it that I go to the world's end."

When Fulgentius had this charge, he could not sleep for thought, that he must rise early to fulfil his lord's commandment. The emperor about midnight sent a messenger on horseback unto his brickmakers, commanding, that upon pain of death, that whosoever came to them first in the morning, saying unto them (as is before rehea.r.s.ed) they should take him and bind him, and cast him into the fire, and burn him to the bare bones.

The brickmakers answered and said, it should be done. Then the messenger returns home again, and told the emperor that his commandment should be diligently fulfilled.

Early in the morning following, Fulgentius arose and prepared him towards his way, and as he went, he heard a bell ring to service, wherefore he went to hear service, and after the end of service he fell asleep, and there slept a long while so soundly, that the priest, nor none other, might awake him.