31.—How a poor fellow watched the sparrow-hawk.
There was also once a good poor fellow, who watched for three days and three nights before the castle; and when he had watched, he went into the palace, and when the sparrow-hawk saw him, he screamed. The virgin came out of her room and welcomed him, and said: “What dost thou require of me. Whatever is of this world and that is honourable, I will grant unto thee.” He asked her for nothing more than that he and his family might live with honour; this was granted. There also came the son of a king of Armenia, who also watched for three days and three nights. After that, he went into the palace where stood the sparrow-hawk. The sparrow-hawk screamed, the virgin came out, welcomed him and asked: “What dost thou want that is of this world and that is honourable.” He asked for nothing, and said he was the son of a mighty king of Armenia, and had silver and gold enough, and also precious stones, but he had no wife, and he asked her to be his wife. She answered him and said: “Thy proud spirit that thou hast, must be broken in thee and in all thy power”; and she cursed him and all his kindred. There also went a lord of the Order of St. John, who also watched and went into the palace. The virgin came out, and asked him also what he desired. He asked her for a purse that would never be empty, which was granted. But after this, she cursed him and said: “The avarice thou hast shewn, brings great evil to thee. Therefore I curse thee, so that thy order may diminish and not increase.” Then he left her.[(1)]