The Duke he can’t see clearly;
He has seen the Bride!
XXII
Now in those days the Duke divided his army into two parts, one of which he ordered to march towards the Duchy of Luxemburg and the other to the Marquisate of Namur.
“These tactics of the military are all one to me,” said Ulenspiegel to Lamme, “let us go on our way with confidence.”
They were walking along the banks of the Meuse, near the town of Maestricht, and Lamme saw that Ulenspiegel gazed attentively at all the boats that were sailing on the river. Suddenly he came to a stand before one of these boats upon whose prow was carved the figure of a mermaid. And the mermaid carried a shield and on it in gold upon a black ground were blazoned the letters J.H.S., being the monogram of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Ulenspiegel signed to Lamme that he should stand still, and then he began to sing like a lark most joyously.
A man appeared on the boat and began to crow like a cock. At this Ulenspiegel set up a noise like a donkey’s bray, which the man immediately echoed with interest. And the two donkeys of Lamme and Ulenspiegel lay back their ears and joined in the chorus with their own natural voices. Sundry women and men were passing along that way, the latter riding on the backs of the horses which were tugging the barges along the tow-path. And Ulenspiegel said to Lamme:
“This boatman is making mock of us and our good steeds. What do you say to going and attacking him on his boat?”
“Let us rather entice him over to the bank,” replied Lamme.