The next day arose the merchant, and said unto Owlglass: “Do thou eat and drink until thy stomach is contented, and then get forth from this house, so that I look not upon thy face again, when that I come from the church.” But Owlglass held his peace. And when that the merchant had departed from the house, he began to clear the house, and stools, benches, tables, and all that he could drag forth took he and cast it in the street. The wares of the merchant likewise cast he forth, and the neighbours marvelled greatly what it should signify that all the goods were thus brought out from the house. And one that was a friend of the merchant departed and told him, so with great wrath ran he unto his house, and sware more than in the church he had prayed. And then said he unto Owlglass: “How cometh it that yet ye are here? Did I not command thee to go hence?” “Yea, master,” quoth honest Master Owlglass, “I would fain only have fulfilled your command, for ye enjoined me that I should clear the house, the which am I not performing? And truly am I glad ye are returned, for some matters are too heavy for me, and I would crave your help.” “Let all things lie,” said the master, “I have been at more charges for them than that they should be cast into the mire. And thou, get thee unto the evil one, and let me not see thee more.” And Owlglass lamented and said: “Alas! is it not a marvellous strange thing that everywhere do I what I am told; yet am I ever chidden for my pains? In an unfortunate hour must I have come into the world.” Then departed he, and left the merchant to carry back into his house his chattels and merchandise. Thereat laughed the neighbours with great content.
The Seventy and Third Adventure.
How that at Greifswald good Master Owlglass came unt the Rector of the University, and proclaimed himself to be a master in all languages, save in one only, to wit, the Spanish tongue.
Now unto the good town of Greifswald, on that stormy sea which is called the Baltic, came Owlglass on a time. And when that he arrived set he upon the church doors letters, and upon the University gates also, proclaiming therein, that of all languages, save one only was he the master, and he could understand every tongue save one, to wit, the Spanish. Thereat marvelled the people with great marvel.
When that the Rector saw the letters which Owlglass had set upon the university gate, he called together his masters, and they conferred together; and then was it agreed amongst them, that Owlglass should be bidden to come before them, and that if he could do that which he said, then would they do him high honour, and entertain, and endue him with all the dignities of their venerable college; but if that he might be a deceiver, then would they with great indignity visit him, and command him to depart out of their town. So appointed they a day for this to be done. And Owlglass accepted the challenge which the rector and masters sent him; and the town was busy all the time with gossips here and gossips there, talking of the marvellous professor which had come. And, after the manner of gossips, did they make two where before was one; and of the foreign master was great conference and noise.
When that the day had come for this wonderful disputation and examination, there assembled together the rector and the masters, the chief councillors of the town and the most considerable citizens; and then entered to them Owlglass, who was attired in like manner unto them, with gown and grave look. And the rector bade him, that he should sit on a stool in the midst of the assembly, over against him. And Owlglass signified unto him, that now would he fain be examined. Then arose the rector, and, with much gravity, spake unto him, and addressed him in the Latin tongue. And Owlglass said to him: “Most noble rector, but one language in the world have I not learned, the which language is Spanish; and now that thou speakest unto me, it appeareth unto me that thy words savour of that tongue.” Then the rector said unto him, that truly was Latin like unto Spanish, yet was it not Spanish, and, therefore, should he have known. But Owlglass said: “Nay; but if any tongue were like unto Spanish, then shut he his ears; for that it was great shame unto the Christian world, that yet should in Spain such vile unbelievers be as the Moors and their black king.” So by reason of his fervour excused they Owlglass. Then stood up the rector, and spake unto him in the Greek language. And Owlglass answered, that unto him it sounded like Spanish. And the rector said unto him: “If that thou knowest all languages, then must thou truly also know the Greek tongue.” “That,” quoth Owlglass, “is the reason why unto me it sounded like unto Spanish. For of old time were the Greek nations idol worshippers, and bowed down unto senseless stocks and stones; and shame were it that Christian man should speak such a tongue.” Then did the assembly praise Owlglass with great praise.
A third time arose the learned rector, and spake unto Owlglass; and this time spake he Italian. And Owlglass said unto him: “Behold, that too is like Spanish, and I must hold my peace.” And the rector told unto him that it was Italian. “Shame should it be,” said Owlglass, “that I should speak the language of brigands and robbers.” And again praised the assembly the wisdom of the new professor. And the rector spake unto him in the French. “Marvellous like unto Spanish,” cried Owlglass. “Nay, but it is the French,” said the rector. “Then marvel I no longer,” said Owlglass; “for the French would everywhere continually have more land; and the mountains which lie betwixt France, Navarre, and Spain, would they fain have cast into the sea.” Then spake the rector to him in English. “That tongue likes me not; I fear me it is Spanish,” quoth Master Owlglass. The rector told him that it was English. “Let me hear no more on’t,” answered he; “for in England is mist and fog and snow, so that there be no marvel if that it sound like Spanish or any other. Give me,” he said unto the rector, “the honest German tongue, for that must for ever be a noble tongue and a useful.” And the assembly had great content with Owlglass; for they perceived, that truly he was a master of languages, and understood not the words so much as the intent, and that he judged of the lands by the tongues used by the inhabitants thereof. For truly, my masters, all languages are like each unto the other; for in every one will ye find liars, cozeners, knaves, cutpurses, deceivers, and beguilers, in number a great multitude. So with honour departed Owlglass.
The Seventy and Fourth Adventure.
How that Owlglass did at Wismar become a horse-dealer, and beguiled a merchant.
By the water at Wismar most knavishly did Owlglass beguile a horse-dealer. For unto that place came a horse-dealer, and he bought no horse unless by a certain thing he learned whether the horse was long to live. And thus did he: when that he had bargained and the price was fixed, he seized the horse by the tail, and marked, by the plucking of the tail, whether he would long live or no. For if the horse had a long tail, and he plucked him thereby, and the hair was weak, then judged he the horse would not long live. Then bought he not that horse. An if the tail were firm in the horse, then did he buy it, and believed truly that it would long live and had a hardy body. For this was a common saying at Wismar, and in it believed all people which abode there. Of this saying heard Owlglass, and upon it meditated he a great knavery; for he held it to be a thing most grave, that all error should from the folk be taken, for Owlglass would have no beguiler of the people but himself; and, my masters, was not this our good master an exemplar unto many which even unto this day have followed in his footsteps?
In the black art was our master also well grounded; therefore with rosin and blood made he a tail unto a horse, the which had no tail, and therewith gat he him to market, and there did he bid to the folk dear enough so that none would buy it. And the merchant, which plucked the horses by the tail, after that came by, and Owlglass offered it unto him at cheap rate, in all good conscience. Then the merchant looked upon the horse that it was fair, and in truth worth the money which Owlglass demanded therefor. So he came thither, and desired to pluck it by the tail. Now Owlglass had so wrought the tail, that if peradventure the dealer so plucked, the tail would therewith stay within his hand, and it should seem as if he had plucked it forth. And so also it came to pass. Then stood the merchant with the tail, and was abashed; and Owlglass cried with a loud voice: “Behold the knave, he hath plucked my horse by the tail, and lo! he hath plucked it out, and my horse hath he marred.” Then ran the townsfolk, and held the merchant, and would not let him depart until that he had satisfied Owlglass with ten crowns for the damage unto the horse. Then Owlglass went on his way rejoicing.
