The Fifty and Seventh Adventure.
How that Owlglass was hired by a furrier, and did sleep among the skins.
On a time did Owlglass take service with a furrier, and when that it was night, he bade Owlglass get him to work and hang out the skins. But Owlglass loved not the labour, and would fain have escaped therefrom. And he spake unto his master, saying: “How is this that with so ill savour this smelleth. I’ faith, I cannot bear it!” And the furrier answered him and said: “Verily, it seemeth unto me that of this trade knowest thou nought. For an if thou hadst slept only four nights among the furs, then wouldst thou no longer mark their ill savour.” Then said Owlglass: “Four nights will I sleep among the skins, master, and then shall I not mark it.” So the furrier gat him to bed. And behold, Owlglass took the skins which were prepared, and which hung upon the wall, and he took also the skins which were dry; and lastly, took he the wet skins; and he cast them together upon the floor of the loft, and crept in among them and slept until the morning. When that it was day, then rose up his master, and he beheld that the skins were taken from the wall; and he ran unto the loft, and spake unto Owlglass to inquire of him what it might fortune that he knew about the skins. And he perceived not Owlglass; but lo! his eyes fell upon the skins, which, wet and dry, lay together in a heap one with the other. Thereat was he strangely moved, and with a weeping voice called the maid and the women folk; and these cries did cause Owlglass to awake, and he looked forth from among the skins, and said: “Honoured master, what may it be that doth move ye so to cry out and to clamour?” Then did the furrier marvel greatly, and knew not what might be in the heap of skins.
And he opened his mouth, and said unto Owlglass: “Where art thou?” And Owlglass to him answered: “Behold, here am I.” Then said the master: “That good fortune may never come unto thee! Hast taken me the dry furs from the wall, and the wet from the lime-pit, and cast me them together in this heap, so that they be spoiled. What wilt thou with this phantasy?” But the wise and prudent Master Owlglass answered him and said: “How, master, be ye not angry! for an if ye be angry for that I have slept one night amidst the skins, what will ye be when that I have slept the four nights ye enjoined me; for ye said that I knew nought of the labour.” Then said the furrier: “Now liest thou like unto a false and ready knave! I bid thee not carry together the wet and the dry, and sleep amid them after this wise!” Then sought the furrier for a stick, and tried to beat Owlglass. But then went Owlglass towards the door to depart thence; and as he went he met the wife of the furrier, and the maid servant, and they would fain have held him. But he said unto them: “Peace be with ye, good friends, let me hasten for a chirurgeon, for my master hath fallen, and his leg hath broken!” Then they let him go, and ran up the stairs unto the master; but he came running down at a great pace, and overthrew the maid and his good wife, and they all stumbled and fell together. Yet our good master had speedily departed, and gotten him thence with all haste.
The Fifty and Eighth Adventure.
How that Owlglass on a time, at Berlin, did make wolves.
Of a cunning and wily mind are the Swabians, and where they come and find not victual, ye may approve it of a certainty that other folk will starve. Yet are they more lovers of the beer jug, and of drinking, than thoughtful of their labour, so comes it likewise that their business lieth but sadly. Now it happened on a time that at Berlin lived a furrier, and he was in Swabia born, and in his art was he most handy, and had much business, and thereto was rich, with a good workshop, by the which he had gained much, as he served those which held lands, and moneys, and houses, and goodly titles. And it came to pass that one winter season a great and noble prince, with all his court, desired to hunt; and they commanded the furrier to prepare for them not a few wolf skins to wear. Of this was Owlglass told, so he gat him unto the furrier, and besought him that he would give unto him work, that he might have money and food. At that time, also, did the master lack people, and was right glad that Owlglass had come unto him; and he spake unto him, and asked him, if that he would make such wolves. And Owlglass answered: “That he was of the land of Saxony, and knew well how to make them.” Then said the furrier unto him: “Truly art thou well come unto me, and I bid thee stay. And touching the reward of thy pains will we agree, and thou shalt abide with me, and have a good time while that thou stayest.” Owlglass answered and said unto the furrier: “Yea, master, I do bethink me that thou art right honest and true; and I crave nothing so much as that ye shall know me for what manner of man I am, when that ye behold my labour. But I work not in fellowship with other men; but ever alone in mine own company.”
Then did the furrier allot unto Owlglass a small chamber wherein he abode; and he received from the furrier the metage of certain furs, and the wolves’ skins. Then took Owlglass the wolves’ skins as they were, and cut them, and made of them a number of wolves; and these he stuffed full of hay, and gat feet made of sticks, and they stood up in manner as if they lived. And when that he had thus cut up all the furs, and made an end of his labours, he cried aloud to his master: “Ho! master, come hither; truly have I ended my labour, and made the wolves.” And the master answered and said: “Yea, my good man, verily have I yet much labour to do! Be thou diligent, and continue as thou art.” Then turned he about to go thence, and he beheld the wolves standing in the chamber, and he lifted up his voice thereat, and cried aloud in great anger: “What is this that thou hast done! Thou bird of unhappy fortune! what evil hast thou wrought unto me? For this will I have thee cast into gaol, and thou shalt suffer therefor.” Then answered Owlglass and said: “Master, call ye that my reward and my thanks. Ye commanded me that I should make wolves, and wolves have I also made. Had ye but said that I should make wolf furs, then had I understood ye, and also have done it with great joy. In the beginning should ye have explained carefully unto one that is a stranger that which ye would have. And, indeed, had it appeared unto me that I should have gained no greater thanks than that which hath been given me, then would I not have wrought thy work in any wise.” Then departed Owlglass from Berlin, and gat him into the city of Leipzig.
The Fifty and Ninth Adventure.
How that Owlglass, being servant unto a great lord, did fetch for him wine and beer together in a most delectable manner.
Once again did Owlglass take service with a noble lord, and became unto him body servant. And it fortuned, that this master of his loved good cheer,—the which is a thing not rare among all manner of men,—and especially loved he a cup of generous wine, or a deep draught of good beer.
It came to pass, that on a time Owlglass and his master journeyed together, and lay at an inn. And the day was hot, and they twain were faint, for they had ridden hard. Then spake the lord unto his serving-man Owlglass, and said: “Go thou and find mine host the landlord of this inn, and fetch him unto me.” That did Owlglass on that instant; for well knew he, that when the master drank the man was seldom dry. And his lord spake unto the host, and said unto him: “Lo! we have come far, and the sun hath burned us so that we be dry, and would have some drink.” And the host answered him: “Verily, in all the wide world, and the Duchy of Mecklenburg to boot, is there no such liquor as in my cellar. Therefore have ye come unto the best place to slake your thirst.” Then commanded the master, that Owlglass should depart with the host; and he said unto him: “I know not the which is best, therefore do thou bring me good store of both wine and beer, and bring ye them together.” And Owlglass said: “Yea;” and departed with the host. Then the host meted unto him both of wine and of beer; and Owlglass said unto himself: “If that I faint then loseth my master his good servant; therefore, that I may truly serve him, will I first drink, for peradventure I shall not have strength to bring the liquor unto my lord.” Therefore drank he merrily the half of the wine and the half of the beer, and remembered his lord’s words, that they should be together; therefore mingled he the wine and the beer in one measure, and gave unto his lord to drink. And when that the lord found how delectable was the mixture, he waxed very wroth, and said unto Owlglass: “What is this that thou hast done, and what vile liquor is this?” “Truly, my lord,” quoth honest Owlglass, “it is wine and beer mingled together, as ye enjoined me to bring unto ye.” But his master perceived it was a knavery, and bade Owlglass to depart from his sight; for, of a truth, was his beguiling most evilly done. But sorrowfully departed Owlglass, for he thought that he wrought no harm in doing the thing which was commanded unto him. Indeed, my masters, often times falleth the evil temper of the one upon the other; and for the too exact enactment of the commands of the master is the man chidden.