LXXV
How the Lord entered into partnership with a minstrel
The Lord once formed a partnership with a minstrel.
Now it befell one day that it had been made known that wedding festivities were to be held, and it had also been made known that a rich man had died. The minstrel said: I will go to the wedding, and you shall go the funeral. The Lord went to the funeral, and succeeded in raising the dead man. He received a reward of one hundred ducats.
The minstrel went to the wedding, and ate his fill. And he returned home, and found his companion, who had earned his reward. He praised him. The Lord had eaten nothing. The minstrel obtained some money from him, and bought a fat kid, and roasted it. And as he roasted it, he drew out the kidneys, and ate them.
When it was set before his companion, the latter asked for the kidneys. The minstrel replied: the kids in this region have no kidneys. [[172]]
Now it befell, on another occasion, that another wedding was announced, and another rich man died. And God said: this time I wish to go the wedding, and do you go to the funeral; and I will show you how to raise the dead man. You shall make the sign of the cross on him, and you shall bid him to rise, and he will arise. But first of all, let them promise you a reward. The minstrel said: indeed, so I will.
He went, and promised to raise him; but he did not rise, for all his signing.
The dead man was the son of a great lord.
The father waxed wroth, seeing that this man was making a mock of him. He sent him away to be hanged by the neck.