The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
Children's literature
When the two had taken their stand on the border of the field among
the crowd, the princes and ladies of the court began to assemble. When
they were all assembled, the king came also, and Charlot with him,
near whom the horse Bayard was led, in the charge of grooms, who were
expressly enjoined to guard him safely. The king, looking round on the
circle of spectators, saw Malagigi and Rinaldo, and observed the
splendid cup that they had, and said to Chariot, "See, my son, what a
brilliant cup those two pilgrims have got. It seems to be worth a
hundred ducats." "That is true," said Chariot; "let us go and ask
where they got it." So they rode to the place where the pilgrims
stood, and Chariot stopped Bayard close to them.
The horse snuffed at the pilgrims, knew Rinaldo, and caressed his
master. The king said to Malagigi, "Friend, where did you get that
beautiful cup?" Malagigi replied, "Honorable sir, I paid for it all
the money I have saved from eleven years' begging in churches and
convents. The Pope himself has blessed it." Then said the king to
Chariot, "My son, these are right holy men; see how the dumb beast
worships them."
Then the king said to Malagigi, "Give me a morsel from your cup, that
I may be cleared of my sins." Malagigi answered, "Illustrious lord, I
dare not do it, unless you will forgive all who have at any time
offended you. You know that Christ forgave all those who had betrayed
and crucified him." The king replied, "Friend, that is true; but
Rinaldo has so grievously offended me, that I cannot forgive him, nor
that other man, Malagigi, the magician. These two shall never live in
my kingdom again. If I catch them, I will certainly have them
hanged. But tell me, pilgrim, who is that man who stands beside you?"
"He is deaf, dumb, and blind," said Malagigi. Then the king said
again, "Give me to drink of your cup, to take away my sins." Malagigi
answered, "My lord king, here is my poor brother, who for fifty days
has not heard, spoken, nor seen. This misfortune befell him in a house
where we found shelter, and the day before yesterday we met with a
wise woman, who told him the only hope of a cure for him was to come
to some place where Bayard was to be ridden, and to mount and ride
him; that would do him more good than anything else." Then said the
king, "Friend, you have come to the right place, for Bayard is to be
ridden here to-day. Give me a draught from your cup, and your
companion shall ride upon Bayard." Malagigi, hearing these words,
said, "Be it so." Then the king, with great devotion, took a spoon,
and dipped a portion from the pilgrim's cup, believing that his sins
should be thereby forgiven.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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