“ But unto him quoth the wily Owlglass: “Lo! now that it may be perceived of me, that in this matter I am as innocent as any spotless lamb of the flock unto which I pertain, and that right and truth is on my side, let us make fresh agreement. See, hither, with measured steps, cometh a most reverend priest, who in pious meditation beguileth the weariness of travel. Let him be judge betwixt us, and by his word be we bound; for if Holy Church bind us not, then will no ties constrain us within virtuous paths.” And with such speech was the boor content. ”

“ And thus, with scrupulous care, say I now, that Master Owlglass had, with his many noble qualities, the error of a short memory. Most strange is this defect in so great a person: yet is it true, that if he received money to pay to another, he forgat it; if he owed money to another, he forgat it; and in eating and drinking most of all was his memory treacherous and failing.
He sate at meat once in a noble house, where the folk were making excellent cheer, and where, for more than six hours, sate they eating and drinking; and Owlglass was with them, for he marked not the time. ”

“ Then opened Owlglass his mouth, and spake unto the bishop, and said unto him: “Most reverend lord and father, a maker of spectacles am I, and from Brabant do I fare. And in that country do people so clearly see, that I can by my trade win nothing. Therefore do I journey in search of work, the which I might do because trade is bad.” Then said the bishop: “Of a truth believe I not that which thou sayest unto me. For thy trade should wax greater and greater every day, for as much as people now grow more shortsighted, and see less and less that which is before them. ”

“ And he spake unto Owlglass, saying: “Wilt thou sell thy horse, and what wouldst thou have in money therefor?” Then Owlglass answered, and said unto the Jew: “This horse canst thou not buy, Jew; it is a Mechlenburg horse, and of a most rare breed, and three hundred nobles would scarce pay for it.” Then said the Jew: “Nay, but what think ye, gracious sir, for twenty nobles would I buy thee such a horse. Wilt thou set a wager upon it?” “Most contemptible son of Moses,” said Owlglass, “thou couldst not. He hath not one fault, and is as gentle as a tender lamb.” ”

“ Then cried 138the merchant unto Owlglass, with a loud voice: “What is this other thing which thou hast done, thou knave?” And Owlglass said: “Of a truth bid ye me drive unto the town gallows, and there stand we. I thought that here would ye rest.” Then looked the merchant and perceived the place where they stood, and the gallows thereby. What could these worthy men do? Was it not the best to laugh thereat as they might. So laughed they; but the merchant said unto Owlglass: “Now do thou drive straight forward, and look not round in any wise.” ”

“ Is it better for a man to do that which he knoweth, or to learn that which he knoweth not? Make the doctors the books, or the books the doctors?” And at this question marvelled everyone, and disputed thereupon; and the greater number thought that it was better that a man should do that which he knoweth, than that he should first learn that which he knoweth not. Then said Owlglass: “Then what fools must all of ye here be, in that ye ever crave to learn that which ye know not, and what ye know, that do none of ye.” ”

“ But the wisdom of Owlglass was great; for it is better to abide in darkness with a whole skin, than live in a palace of light and be beaten with many stripes. Thus did, therefore, our great example of wit and judgment. ”

“ Then answered Owlglass, and said: “Lord, I know the arts, and that manner of man am I, and your humble servant.” Thereat rejoiced the landgrave greatly, for he thought that Owlglass was an alchymist, and in alchymy had the landgrave much delight. Then spake he unto him, saying: “Art thou an alchymist?” And Owlglass answered: “Nay, that am I not, in good sooth, for of dross make not I gold, but rather quite the other thing. Yet am I a painter, the equal unto whom can be nowhere found in any country, for my work is far better than the work of any other painter.” ”

“ Now run I from one land unto another, and nowhere can I find any work; for even hath this reached so far into the hearts of men, that the very boors do ape and imitate their betters, and would be so wondrous wise.” Without gloss perceived the bishop good Master Owlglass his text, and spake unto him fair words, and said: “Behold now, come thou with us unto Frankfort, and there will we mend thy trade, and recompence thee richly for thy pains, and to thee shall be given our dress and arms; for truly art thou worthy to be with us.” ”

“ For fools be there many; and upon the first day of that fair month of April, the weather of which is as various as were the adventures of the holy saint—upon the first of April, I say, do all men honour him, and indeed every day; for in that hour in the which they accomplish any idle vain work, do they increase his glory. So that Saint Owlglass doth receive the continual esteem of both great and small. ”

“ So much did he love Owlglass, that he then departed out of the land of Brunswick, and he did abide in the land of Magdeburg, hard by the river Saale.
In a little time thereafter, so sorrowful was he, that he gave up the ghost, and left his wife and child in great poverty. Thus it is that great men are often persecuted and smitten with many blows in their own land, nor do they find good comfort therein! Owlglass, although he knew not any handicraft, did grow up and wax older in knavery; and when that he was sixteen years old, did excel in tricks, quips, and quiddities. ”

“ Be happy therefore whilst thou may.” “Nay, nay,” said the butcher; “how can that be when that I have no wife. Thy saying likes me not. Say on.” Then laughed Owlglass, and said:
“The butcher best likes to be paid,
So money-bag be now my aid.” Then cried the butcher: “Such words are brave and true words. Behold, thou speakest sensibly, and the saying like I well.” Thereat said Owlglass: “Behold, then, the meat is mine. Good friends that stand around, is it not true that I have now fulfilled my part?” And with much clamour said they: “Yea;” and Owlglass took the meat, and departed. ”

“ Thereat laughed Owlglass right merrily, and said unto the people: “Truly thought I, that nowhere in the world was there a fool so great as am I. Yet here in this city do I well see that ye are almost every one of ye fools; for when that ye did say that I could flee down from where I stand, then believed I ye not. I am not a goose, nor a bird, nor have I either feathers or wings to flee with, without the which can nobody flee. ”

“ Better bid farewell unto a shiny Edward shovel-groat, say I, and let it work its office in many and divers pouches, than mar its silver beauty with the hot hands of a miser. For if that money be a great instrument of wicked wills; yet on its course it encourageth much and great good, and the evil that it doth is weighed down in the balance by a hundredfold of happiness. ”

“ How that Owlglass did make the town-watch of Nürnberg to fall into the water which is called the Pegnitz. Owlglass was most wise in knavery. And when that he had journeyed far and wide with the holy head of Saint Brandonus, and had beguiled the people, so that he felt it in his pocket as a heavier weight than it lay upon his soul, he came unto Nürnberg, where he purposed to make good cheer with the money which the head gat for him. ”

“ It hath been said unto us, that we should not do evil that good may arise therefrom; yet from such actions and enactments as those of our master came forth good, for we are taught therein to know the wisdom of the saying of Solon unto that ancient King Crœsus, that until the end be perceived ye should esteem no man happy. And what profit had Master Owlglass of his knaveries? A life of continual change and hurrying to and fro upon the face of the earth—of carking care, and, oftentimes, pinching hunger and parching thirst. ”

“ Thereat rode the duke away from him, saying: “Stay as ye now be.” But Owlglass leaped quickly forth from his horse’s skin, and spake unto the dead horse: “I thank thee, my good beast, for thou hast preserved my neck from great danger of the halter, and through thy death am I made alive. From a hunted donzel hast thou changed me into a gentleman; therefore, lie thou there, for it is better that the crows eat thee than that they should tear me.” ”

“ A favourite among the young for its amusing and quaint adventures, and a study among those who strive, by the diligent comparison of different eras of national literature, to arrive at a due appreciation of national character, Eulenspiegel, or Owlglass the boor (peasant) , possesses a peculiar value for the old. I well remember how, as a very little child, I first made the friendship of the lithe though clumsy hero; and to the present time do not feel that I can say I have lost my interest in the humourous quips and quiddities of the strolling vagabond. ”

“ How that Owlglass became a drawer of teeth and cured all by a wondrous pill. As Owlglass was going along the road, he met upon the highway, a man whose face was overcome with misery. Owlglass thereat gazed upon him for a season, and after some time spake unto him these words: “Worthy fellow! thou dost seem so wrapped in melancholic humour, would’st tell me what aileth thee?” “Everything in the wide world,” the other made answer: “for I have no money, which is the joy of all worldly business; for it maketh learned, maketh noble, maketh lovely, and merry. ”

“ What can a child like thee desire to have money for? Hast not food, and lodging, and raiment, bestowed on thee, and wouldst thou have money beside. Go to!” And he refused the child the gift which he beseeched of him. Yet the child would not be discouraged, but again besought his father, who denied him, and waxed wroth, and spake unto him saying: “If that thou dost seek to obtain of me aught of this, I will give it unto the black man without the casement, and put it forth to interest after that wise.” Yet he wist not that in the darkness of the night lay Owlglass hidden. ”

“ Thereat said Owlglass: “In truth, nothing is more easy. Behold, when it is night-time hang thy pig without thy door upon a hook, and when that it cometh unto midnight take it secretly away, and make great complaint that it hath been stolen.” And the boor did according unto the words of Owlglass, for he was content. ”

“ Thereat said the abbot: “Then, with God’s grace, as thou lovest not much labour, do I receive thee, and be thou our gatekeeper. So wilt thou stay within thy chamber, and wilt have neither sorrow nor great work, only to fetch thy provision and beer from the cellar, and to lock and unlock the gate.” And the pious Owlglass said: “Reverend father abbot! God give you guerdon therefore, that ye do so kindly consider the infirmities of a poor old man, borne down with the weight of his sins and broken with sickness, of a truth will I perform everything that ye do enjoin me.” ”

“ Thus came it that the priest was fain to send Owlglass away, yet forgat he him not; and it fortuned that the parish clerk died, so he made Owlglass clerk in his room. Thus, by foolishness and little knaveries, do men come in this world to dignities and honours. ”

“ Then answered Owlglass to the baker, and spake, for our noble and well beloved master of jests was wily, and, indeed, all things unto all men: “I am a baker’s man.” Thereat said the baker: “Even now have I not any man in my house to serve me; wilt thou come to me, for I have need of thee?” Owlglass at that answered: “Yea.” And when that he had been with him two days, the baker commanded him to bake at eventide, for that he could not help him until the morning. Then said Owlglass: “But what would ye have me to bake?” ”

“ Knaves sit smiling by your own hearthstone, deluding ye with love and fair service—your children be knaves, your fathers were knaves;—for in this world are secrets hidden—and, indeed, are we unto ourselves not true, but knaves altogether, excusing, palliating, concealing, hugging, with not a little fear and trembling, our favourite vices, or our evil desires. ”

“ On the next day departed they as before unto the forest; and Owlglass spake unto his master, and said unto him: “A wolf hath run across the road, master; what shall we do?” “Ha! sayest thou so?” quoth the boor. “Drive forth, drive forth; great good fortune is it when that a wolf doth cross thy road.” So Owlglass drave the horse into the forest; and when that they gat thither, they took the horse out of the traces, and left the cart standing, while they gat them to their labour. ”

“ How that at Hildesheim Owlglass did hire himself unto merchant to be his cook, and what tricks he played unto him. As thou goest down that street at Hildesheim which leadeth from the Haymarket, dwelt, on a time, a rich merchant, and he did come forth unto the gate, and would have entered into his garden. ”

“ Reciteth a few grave reflections of this present chronicler. That thing which a man maketh his own, and causeth aye to be his beloved work, be it evil or good, will beset him for ever, nor, save in the prickings and movings of his trembling conscience, and timorous spirit, will he acknowledge his own desperate courses, the which seemed fair to enjoy, but turn unto the apples of Sodom and Gomorrah i’ the mouth; and like unto the red-hot ploughshare, over the which the hardened criminal walketh, doth the sin all done in life sear the aspen soul, which quivereth in terror at evil doing. ”