Not long has she got over them. I must farther acknow

ledge,

Isegrim wolf with every diligence have I dishonoured.

Time would fail me to tell of it all. I always have called

him

Uncle, by way of a joke, yet we are no sort of relations. 285 Once, about six years ago it was, he came over to Elkmar,

Where I lived in the convent,' and begged to have my assistance,

As he wished a monk to become. And this now he fancied Would be a good employment, to ring the bell, for the ringing

Pleased him so much. I accordingly tied his forefeet

together,

290

Making them fast to the ropes; with much contentment he stood there,

Pulled and amused himself, and seemed to be learning to ring them.

Yet the art was destined not to lead him to honour,
For he rang as if he were foolish and frantic. The

people

All from the streets around came hastily rushing together, For they thought no less than that some great misfortune 296

had happened.

There they came and found him. Before he had time to

inform them

How he wished to embrace a clerical life, he was beaten, Cudgelled nearly to death, by the throng of infuriate people.

Notwithstanding, the fool persevered in his purpose, and

bade me

300

Give him my best assistance in taking the tonsure with

honour.

I accordingly had the hair on the top of his head singed, So that the skin was shrivelled together. Thus frequently

have I

Knocks and blows procured him, with much disgrace to the bargain.

1 Probably Elemar, a provostship attached to the convent of St. Peter at Ghent, established in 1144, and destroyed by a flood in 1424.

How to catch fish I taught him as well, but they led him to mischief.

305 Once in the country of Julich he'd followed me: there we

had slyly

Entered the house of the priest, the richest there in the province.

This man possessed a store; with costly hams 'twas provided:

Here, moreover, he kept long sides of the tenderest bacon, While in his trough there was laid some meat that had newly been salted.

310

Through the stony walls at last had Isegrim managed
To scrape out a hole that he could easily squeeze through.
There I induced him to go, and his gluttony also induced
him.

But he could not control himself in the superabundance,

For he filled himself out to excess, and the aperture narrow Held his swollen body by force, and prevented his leaving. 316 How he abused it, the faithless thing, that first let him

enter

When he was hungry, but when he was full had denied him an exit!

Thereupon I made such a great to-do in the village

That I incited the people the tracks of the wolf to dis

cover.

320

For I entered the house of the priest, and found him at dinner,

Where a fine, fat capon that very minute was brought

him,

Done to a turn; this I snatched up swiftly and carried off

with me.

Quickly the parson attempted to follow me shouting, but stumbled,

Throwing the table down with all the drink and the viands. "Beat him! throw at him! catch him and kill him!" the

furious parson

326

Cried, but he cooled his rage: (for he had not noticed the puddle).

So there he lay, while the rest came after him, screaming

and yelling,

"Beat him!" I ran away, and those who meant the most

mischief

Followed closely behind, and louder than all cried the

parson:

330

"Oh! what a daring thief! he snatched up the fowl off the

table!"

Onwards I ran as far as the store-room, and very unwilling There let the fowl fall down on the ground; 'twas unluckily getting

Much too heavy to carry away-and the people then lost

me.

There they found the fowl, and as the parson retook it 335 In the store-room he spied the wolf, and the people beheld

him.

Loudly to all now cried the priest: "Come hither and catch him!

Here is another poacher, a wolf, fall'n into our clutches! We should be jeered at if he got off, and ev'ry one truly At our cost would laugh in the whole of the province of

Julich!"

340

All that he could thought the wolf, meanwhile came raining upon him

Blows on his body, and painful wounds from hither and thither.

All cried out as loud as they could. The rest of the

peasants

Ran together at once, and stretched him for dead on the ground there.

No greater woe had happened to him in the course of his

lifetime.

345

Were one to paint it on canvas, in rare style would it

exhibit

How he paid the parson for all his hams and his bacon! Out on the road they threw him down, and rapidly dragged

him

Over stick and stone. There seemed no breath in his body.

As he had made himself foul, they threw him with horror • 350

and loathing

Out of the village, and there he lay in a ditch that was

muddy,

For they all thought him dead. I know not how long he

remained there

In this disgraceful swoon before he knew his condition.
How at last he escaped, that, too, I never discovered.
Yet after this, but a year ago, he swore that for ever
True and faithful to me he would be, but not long it
lasted.

355

Why it was then that he friendship swore I can readily fancy.

Once to a regular feast on fowls he had taken a liking;
So in order to take him in nicely, I gravely informed him
How, as a rule, on a beam, a certain cock, of an ev'ning, 360
With seven hens was accustomed to roost. And thither I
led him

In the dead of the night-the hour of midnight had sounded.

And the window shutter, by only a thin lath supported, Still stood open (I knew it). I made as though I would enter, Then drew back as if shy, and the precedence gave to my 355

uncle.

“Don't be afraid to go in," I said; "and if you would win them,

Hasten! It's worth the risk! You will find that the hens are well fattened."

Cautiously in he crept, and gently feeling about him, Touched here and there, and at last in angry words then addressed me:

66

Oh! how badly you've guided me! Really not a hen's feather

370

Can I discover." I answered: "Those that used to sit

foremost

I myself have removed; the others are sitting behind there. Only go perseveringly on, and mind where you're stepping." Narrow indeed was the beam on which we were walking. I kept him

Always in front, and held myself back; then pushed myself backwards

375

Out of the window again, and pulled at the wood, when

the shutter

Slammed and clattered aloud. This set the wolf in a

tremble,

And on the ground from the narrow beam in terror he

tumbled.

Down by the fire were people asleep, and they started

affrighted.

All of them cried out aloud: "Say! what fell in at the

window?"

380

Then they picked themselves up in a hurry, and lighted

the lantern.

In the corner they found him out, and woefully beat him, Dressing his hide for him well; I wonder how he escaped them.

More than this, I confess that I Frau Gieremund often Secretly, also openly, visited, though it should ever 385 Unrevealed have remained. Oh! would that it never had happened!

For as long as she lives the shame she can never get

over.

Every thing have I now to you confessed, in as far as Memory serves me at all, with which my soul has been

burdened.

390

Give absolution, I beg; I will in humble submission Every penance fulfil, the hardest that you may prescribe

me.'

Grimbart knew quite well what to do to suit the occasion. Breaking a little twig on the road, he said: "Strike yourself, uncle,

Three times over the back with this little twig, and then lay it

Down on the ground as I show you, and then jump over it three times.

395

Then the rod you must meekly kiss, to show your obe

dience.

Such is the penance that on you I lay, and straightway pronounce you

From all sins and punishments free, and fully forgive you All in the name of the Lord, whatever may be your transgressions."

And as Reineke then the penance gladly completed, 400