"I see them," answered Lamme. "There are three of them, marching
together like soldiers, and one of them is much taller than the
others."
Ulenspiegel sat himself down by the side of the road, with his legs
stretched out in front of him, muttering his prayers on a rosary,
just like beggars do. And he held his hat between his knees. And when
the three evangelists passed in front of him, he held out his hat as
though asking for alms; but they gave him nothing. Then Ulenspiegel
got up and addressed them most piteously:
"Kind sirs," he said, "do not refuse a patard to a poor quarryman
who has recently had an accident and broken his back by falling down
a mine. The people in this part of the world are hard of heart,
and they have not been willing to give me anything to relieve my
distress. Alas! Give me but a patard, and I will say many prayers for
you. And God will keep you happy, all your lives long, kind friends!"
"My son," said one of the evangelists, "there can be no happiness
for us in this world so long as the Pope and the Inquisition remain
in power."
Ulenspiegel heaved another sigh:
"Alas! What are you saying, my lords? Do not speak so loud, if it
please you. But give me a patard."
"My son," replied one of the evangelists, he that was the smallest of
the three, and of a very warlike countenance, "we poor martyrs carry
no patards save only just enough to keep us going on our journey."
At this Ulenspiegel threw himself on to his knees in front of them.
"Give me your blessing then," he said.
The three evangelists laid their hands upon the head of Ulenspiegel,
albeit with little signs of devotion.
Now Ulenspiegel noticed that although they were lean of figure,
these men all had very fat stomachs, so he rose from his knees,
and then pretended to stumble, knocking against the body of the tall
evangelist as he did so. At that a merry tinkle of coin was distinctly
audible. Thereupon Ulenspiegel raised himself to his full height and
drew his dagger.
"My good man," he said, "it is cold and I am but poorly clad; but
methinks you have too much about you. Give me some of your wool,
that I may get a cloak made for me. I am a Beggarman. Long live the
Beggarmen!" The tall evangelist made answer:
"You cock of a Beggarman, you carry your crest proudly forsooth,
and we are going to cut it off for you!"
"Cut it off then," cried Ulenspiegel, giving ground, "but let me
warn you that trusty Wind of Lead is going to sing for you or ever he
sings for the Prince my master! Beggar I am! Long live the Beggarmen!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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