Another time, as Faustus was walking along the road near Brunswick,
the whim took him of asking a waggoner who was driving by, to treat
him with a ride in his vehicle. "No, I will not," replied the boor;
"my horses will have enough to do to drag their proper load." "You
churl," said the doctor, "since you will not let your wheels carry me,
you shall carry them yourself as far as from the gates of the city."
The wheels then detached themselves, and flew through the air, to the
gates of the town from which they came. At the same time the horses
fell to the ground, and were utterly unable to raise themselves up.
The countryman, frightened, fell on his knees to the doctor, and
promised, if he would forgive him, never to offend in like manner
again. Faustus now, relenting a little, bade the waggoner take a
handful of sand from the road, and scatter on his horses, and they
would be well. At the same time he directed the man to go to the four
gates of Brunswick, and he would find his wheels, one at each gate.
In another instance, Faustus went into a fair, mounted on a noble
beast, richly caparisoned, the sight of which presently brought all
the horse-fanciers about him. After considerable haggling, he at last
disposed of his horse to a dealer for a handsome price, only cautioning
him at parting, how he rode the horse to water. The dealer, despising
the caution that had been given him, turned his horse the first thing
towards the river. He had however no sooner plunged in, than the horse
vanished, and the rider found himself seated on a saddle of straw, in
the middle of the stream. With difficulty he waded to the shore, and
immediately, enquiring out the doctor's inn, went to him to complain
of the cheat. He was directed to Faustus's room, and entering found
the conjuror on his bed, apparently asleep. He called to him lustily,
but the doctor took no notice. Worked up beyond his patience, he next
laid hold of Faustus's foot, that he might rouse him the more
effectually. What was his surprise, to find the doctor's leg and foot
come off in his hand! Faustus screamed, apparently in agony of pain,
and the dealer ran out of the room as fast as he could, thinking that
he had the devil behind him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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