Children -- Books and reading; Children's literature -- Bibliography; Children's stories -- Bibliography; Storytelling
And so far he went that he came to a right great king, of whom the
renown generally was that he was the greatest of the world. And when
the king saw him received him into his service and made him to dwell
in his court.
Upon a time a minstrel sung tofore him a song in which he named oft
the devil. And the king which was a Christian man, when he heard him
name the devil, made anon the sign of the cross in his visage. And
when Christopher saw that, he had great marvel what sign it was and
wherefore the king made it. And he demanded it of him. And because
the king would not say, he said, "If thou tell me not, I shall no
longer dwell with thee." And then the king told to him saying,
"Alway when I hear the devil named, I fear that he should have power
over me, and I garnish me with this sign that he grieve not nor annoy
me." Then Christopher said to him, "Thou doubtest the devil that he
hurt thee not? Then is the devil more mighty and greater than thou
art. I am then deceived of my hope and purpose; for I supposed that I
had found the most mighty and the most greatest lord of the world.
But I commend thee to God, for I will go seek him to be my lord and I
his servant."
And then he departed from this king and hasted him to seek the devil.
And as he went by a great desert he saw a great company of knights.
Of which a knight cruel and horrible came to him and demanded whither
he went. And Christopher answered to him and said, "I go to seek the
devil for to be my master." And he said, "I am he that thou seekest."
And then Christopher was glad and bound himself to be his servant
perpetual, and took him for his master and lord.
And as they went together by a common way, they found there a cross
erect and standing. And anon as the devil saw the cross, he was
afeard and fled, and left the right way and brought Christopher about
by a sharp desert, and after, when they were past the cross, he
brought him to the highway that they had left. And when Christopher
saw that, he marvelled and demanded whereof he doubted that he had
left high and fair way and had gone so far about by so hard desert.
And the devil would not tell him in no wise. Then Christopher said to
him, "If thou wilt not tell me I shall anon depart from thee and shall
serve thee no more." Therefore the devil was constrained to tell him,
and said "There was a man called Christ which was hanged on the cross,
and when I see his sign, I am sore afeard and flee from it
wheresomever I find it." To whom Christopher said, "Then he is
greater and more mightier than thou, when thou art afraid of his sign.
And I see well that I have laboured in vain since I have not founden
the greatest lord of all the earth. And I will serve thee no longer.
Go thy way then: for I will go seek Jesus Christ."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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