Читать книгу The Marvellous Adventures and Rare Conceits of Master Tyll Owlglass - Robert Henderson Mackenzie Kenneth - Страница 22

How Owlglass did again hire him unto a baker, and how he bolted meal in the moon’s light

Thereafter departed Owlglass, and wandered hither and thither in the land; and at last came he toward Oltzen, and entered into the village there. And when he was besought of the people to say what trade he exercised, he told them that he was a baker. Then did a master baker in the village hire him; and when that Owlglass was with him present in his house, his master did make ready that he should bake, and he spake unto Owlglass, and did enjoin him that he should bolt the meal, so that it might be prepared against the morning. Then Owlglass answered, and said: “Master, I would fain have a candle, that I may see with, and so diligently do your bidding.” “Nay,” answered the baker; “but that will I not do. No candle shalt thou have, nor have I at any time given unto my serving-men any such candle. Always did they bolt the meal in the moon’s light, and verily must thou likewise do this. And this charge I thee to do.” And Owlglass made answer, saying: “An if your former servants did bolt the meal in the moon’s light, truly then will I also do it.” At that was the master content, and he gat him to bed for a short while.

Thereafter taketh good Master Owlglass the bag, and he openeth the window and putteth forth the bag, until the moon’s light doth shine thereupon, and then letteth he all the meal fall out on the ground where that the moon shone. And in the morning cometh the master, who desireth to bake, and he findeth Owlglass still casting out the meal. And the baker marvelled much when that he beheld Owlglass, for Owlglass was white with the meal. Then said the master, who was full of anger: “What do ye here, ye knave? Think ye that yon meal cost me nought, that ye throw it in the dirt there?”

Then answered Owlglass: “Did not ye command me that I should, without a candle, bolt the meal in the moon’s shine, and have not I fulfilled this according to your words?” Then said the baker: “I said you should bolt the meal by the moon’s light.” And Owlglass answered him: “Be then of good cheer, master; verily thy meal is bolted both in and by the moon’s light, and with much pains and weariness have I done this labouring. Nor is there much lost thereby; scarce a handful. Soon will I gather it up again, and the meal will not be in any wise made the worse.” Thereat sayeth the baker: “In that time that thou dost gather up the meal, will it grow too late to make the dough, and then fall to baking.” Then said Owlglass: “Behold, master, I know a piece of counsel, how we may bake as soon as our neighbour yonder. His dough lieth ready in the trough, and I will go thither and quickly fetch it, and carry our meal thither in place thereof.” Thereat grew the master of Owlglass right angry, and said unto him: “May the evil one have thee! Get thee to the gallows-tree, thou knave, and fetch thee thence the first thing that thou dost find; and let the neighbour’s dough lie where it be.” “Yea,” answered Owlglass.

Then departed he out of the house and went unto the gallows-tree, and there lay the skull of a thief, which had fallen down. This took Owlglass and bare it unto his master, and brought it into his house and said: “Here bring I from the gallows-tree the first thing that I did find. Wherefore would ye have this? Of a truth know I not what may be the best thing it is fit for.” And then the baker spake in anger, and said: “Lo! bringest thou me nothing more than this?” Then Owlglass answered and said: “If that any other thing had been there, I would also have brought it for thee; but no other thing was lying there.” Then waxed the baker more wroth, and said unto Owlglass: “Behold, thou hast robbed the law and the gallows; that will I tell unto the burghmaster, and thou shalt answer it.”

And the baker departed from out of the house to the market-place, and Owlglass followed him. So hastily, howsoever, went the baker, that he looked not round, and knew not that Owlglass was following him. Then stood the baker before the burghmaster, who was on the market-place, and he began to make complaint against Owlglass. And Owlglass was lithe and nimble, and when that the baker began his words, he stood hard by and opened his eyes very wide. And when the baker beheld Owlglass, he clean forgat, in his anger, what it might be that he would make complaint of, and said to Owlglass, with great malice: “What wilt thou have?” Owlglass made answer to him: “I desire not to have anything, than that I should behold what complaint you make against me to the burghmaster. And that I might see your words, do I open mine eyes very wide, for words are most difficult to see.” Then said the baker: “Get out of my sight, thou knavish beguiler, I desire nought else!” Owlglass then said: “If that I should get out of thy sight, then needs must I get my body into thine eyes; and if ye shut your eyes, must I come through thy nostrils.” Then went the burghmaster on his way, for he perceived that it was but foolishness; and he left them both standing. And when Owlglass saw that, he followed the baker, and spake unto him, saying: “Master, when shall we bake? It is time now, for the sun shineth no more.” Then departed he, and left the baker standing in the market-place.