Oh! how you're painted! Indeed, a most disgraceful appearance! Did not the honey taste well? At the same price still there is plenty More to be bought! Yet now, my uncle, quickly inform me, What is the Order of which so lately the vows you have taken, That you have just begun to wear a scarlet biretta 235 On your head? Are you an abbot then? Surely the barber, He who gave you the tonsure, has taken a snip at your ears, too. You have lost the skin from your cheeks, I see, and your forelock, And your gloves as well. Why, whereabouts left you them hanging?" 240 Thus to words derisive must Brown one after another him; Help or counsel he knew not. And so no longer to hear them, Back to the water he crept, and drove with the swift, rushing current Still lower down where the bank was flat. He landed and lay there 245 Sick and wretched, and thus to himself said, loudly lamenting: "Oh! that some one would strike me dead! To walk is beyond me; Yet to the Court I should travel, and though disgraced, might remain there, Free at all events from this Reineke's wicked devices. rue it! 250 Yet he rallied himself, and, though with horrible anguish, Four days dragged himself on, and came at last to the palace. When the king perceived the bear in this wretched condition, "Gracious God!" said he: "is it Brown that I see, and how comes he So disfigured?" piteous And Brown replied: "Alas! 'tis a 255 Plight that you see me in, and shamefully thus has be trayed me Reineke, that great villain!" Then spoke the monarch indignant: 66 Surely without any mercy this outrage will I avenge you. Such a lord as Brown, shall he be by Reineke injured? Yes, by my kingly honour and that of my crown I will swear it, 260 All shall Reineke pay that Brown in justice can ask for. No more, I vow, will I wear a sword, if I keep not my promise." Then the king commanded his council at once to assemble, pleasing, 265 Reineke once again should be summoned thither in person, There his right to maintain against claim and complaint. And the message Should by Hintze, the cat, be conveyed to Reineke promptly, For he was clever and sharp. And so all counselled together. Then the king, in Council with all his advisers agreeing, 270 Said to Hintze : Observe now well their Lordships' in tention! 66 If he allows himself for the third time now to be sent for, "Twill be the ruin eternal of him and the whole of his kindred. If he is wise he will come betimes! You must point your instructions! Others he only despises: to your advice he will listen." Hintze, however, replied: "Whether profit or loss be the upshot Matters not, but if I go to him how shall I manage the business? He may do it or leave it for me, and yet as I see it, him. 280 How am I to bring it about? I pray you, excuse me!" "Me you cannot persuade," replied the king; "there are many Little men to be found endowed with cunning and wisdom That to the big are unknown. If not exactly a giant, Yet you are clever and learned." The cat submissively answered: 285 roadside "Let it be as you will! And on my right hand on the Should I an omen see, good luck will follow my journey." THIRD CANTO. NOW had Hintze, the cat, some way on his journey pro ceeded, When from afar he saw a bird,' and thereupon called out: Noble bird, good luck! be good enough here to my right 66 hand Turning your wings to fly." But the bird flew off and alighted 5 On a tree to the left of the cat, and fell to a-singing. Hintze was sadly disturbed, and thought he would hear of misfortune; But he plucked up courage again, as most are accustomed. Still going on towards fort Malepartus, he found there Reineke sitting in front of his house, and greeting addressed him: "God, the good and the merciful, grant you the happiest ev'ning! 10 Now does his majesty threaten your life, if you hesitate longer With me to Court to proceed; and furthermore sends you a message: Meet the complainants at law, or else your people will rue it." Whereupon Reineke answered: "My dearest nephew, right welcome! "May you enjoy the blessing of God, as much as I wish you!" 15 This in his treacherous heart, however, he little intended. New devices he planned, and him who came with the mes sage Back to the Court he would send with disgrace. Still calling him always In the original a "Martin's bird," applied by different people to various birds, as the goose, the falcon, the blackbird, and the fieldfare, while others consider it to be the crane, the flight of which on the left side the Romans looked on as an unfavourable omen. Nephew, he said to the cat: "What sort of refreshment, my nephew, Should one provide for you now? with hunger appeased one sleeps better. 20 Let me for once be your host, and to-morrow we'll start off at daybreak Both for the Court. This seems to me best. Of all my relations None do I know whom I could more implicitly trust in. For that voracious bear came here in an insolent manner; Fierce he is and strong, and for much I would not have ventured 25 With him a journey to take. But now it is not to be doubted That with you I should willingly go. So early to-morrow We will start on our road. This seems the best way of proceeding." Thereupon Hintze replied: ""Twere better at once to be starting Straight for the Court, as we are, without any more preparation. 30 Brightly shines the moon on the heath, and dry are the roads, too." Reineke said: "I think by night it is risky to travel. Many are friendly in greeting by day, whom if in the dark ness We were to meet, what were best to do we should have to consider." Hintze, however, remarked: "But, nephew, kindly in form me, 35 If I stay here, what is there to eat?" And Reineke an swered: "Poor is our manner of life, but if you stay I can bring you Fresh combs of honey to eat, and will pick out some of the clearest." Growling answered the cat: "Such stuff I never partake of. If you have nothing at home, a mouse would suffice for the present. 40 This would suit me the best, and I'll leave the honey for others!" |