Curious Myths of the Middle AgesBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Curious Myths of the Middle Ages
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Folklore; Legends -- History and criticism; Tales, Medieval
"Now, it happened that an Ephesian was building a stable on
the side of Mount Celion, and finding a pile of stones handy,
he took them for his edifice, and thus opened the mouth of
the cave. Then the seven sleepers awoke, and it was to them
as if they had slept but a single night. They began to ask
Malchus what decision Decius had given concerning them.
"'He is going to hunt us down, so as to force us to sacrifice
to the idols,' was his reply. 'God knows,' replied Maximian,
'we shall never do that.' Then exhorting his companions, he
urged Malchus to go back to the town to buy some more bread,
and at the same time to obtain fresh information. Malchus
took five coins and left the cavern. On seeing the stones he
was filled with astonishment; however, he went on towards the
city; but what was his bewilderment, on approaching the gate,
to see over it a cross! He went to another gate, and there he
beheld the same sacred sign; and so he observed it over each
gate of the city. He believed that he was suffering from the
effects of a dream. Then he entered Ephesus, rubbing his
eyes, and he walked to a baker's shop. He heard people using
our Lord's name, and he was the more perplexed. 'Yesterday,
no one dared pronounce the name of Jesus, and now it is on
every one's lips. Wonderful! I can hardly believe myself to
be in Ephesus.' He asked a passer-by the name of the city,
and on being told it was Ephesus, he was thunderstruck. Now
he entered a baker's shop, and laid down his money. The
baker, examining the coin, inquired whether he had found a
treasure, and began to whisper to some others in the shop.
The youth, thinking that he was discovered, and that they
were about to conduct him to the emperor, implored them to
let him alone, offering to leave loaves and money if he might
only be suffered to escape. But the shop-men, seizing him,
said, 'Whoever you are, you have found a treasure; show us
where it is, that we may share it with you, and then we will
hide you.' Malchus was too frightened to answer. So they put
a rope round his neck, and drew him through the streets into
the market-place. The news soon spread that the young man had
discovered a great treasure, and there was presently a vast
crowd about him. He stoutly protested his innocence. No one
recognized him, and his eyes, ranging over the faces which
surrounded him, could not see one which he had known, or
which was in the slightest degree familiar to him.
"St. Martin, the bishop, and Antipater, the governor, having
heard of the excitement, ordered the young man to be brought
before them, along with the bakers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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