MEDIAEVAL LITEKATURE. 477 



laurel trees, in whose shade well-night twenty thousand knights 

 are partly absorbed in the noble game of chess, and partly occu- 

 pied at disporting themselves in the neighbouring copses, with 

 three thousand graceful maidens. However, Charles does not 

 forget the aim of his journey. He enquires after King Hugo the 

 Strong. They point out to him a certain neighbouring field, and 

 wending his way thither he finds the oriental prince enthroned 

 on a palankeen between two fine mules. In propria persona he 

 is driving a sterling gold ploughshare through the furrows. 

 William of Orange, one of Charles's companions, who knows but 

 too well how scarce money is in France, can barely refrain from 

 shivering to pieces this golden plough in order to sell the frag- 

 ments. The king, fully aware of the numberless rapscallions who 

 infest the highroads of his domains at home, is amazed to see that 

 this oriental potentate dare leave such a priceless gem behind 

 unguarded ; and he secretly envies a prince, who asserts that he is 

 reigning over a country, where there are no thieves. 



In the meantime Hugo bids his guests be welcome, and takes 

 them to his palace. Here everything is shining with gold and 

 silver. The big hall especially is a consummate masterpiece of 

 architectural art. In the centre there is a huge silver-coated 

 column; and along the walls all round there are a hundred pillars. 

 Each of these pillars shows on either of its sides the bronze statue 

 of a youth, holding an ivory horn to his mouth. As soon as the 

 wind rises the hall starts turning round, the central column being 

 its pivot; the bronze youths look at each other and wind their 

 horns, discoursing clear, sweet music like the angels' song in 

 Paradise. Charles is stunned with amazement and admiration, 

 and comes to the conclusion that his French castles are not worth 

 a rap. But suddenly a terrible thunderstorm bursts over the city, 

 the wind rises, and soon a hurricane is blowing. A marvellous 

 scene now follows. The hall is spinning round, spinning more 

 and more quickly. The king and his paladins lose their foothold 

 and are hurled against the walls, and full of anxiety, maddened 

 and giddy, they clamour that this awkward miracle may be 

 stopped. Luckily the wind soon abates, and they are invited to 

 the banqueting hall, where they sit down at tables bending under 

 the weight of the most delightful food : wild boars' heads, cranes, 

 and devilled peacocks. 



After the meal Hugo takes his guests to another hall, in whose 

 centre a huge carbuncle flashes and ghtters with almost more than 

 solar lustre, and where thirteen luxuiious couches and a number 

 of wine tankards are ready for them. After their host's departure 

 Charles believes that he is alone with his vassals; but behind a 

 marble staircase the artful and designing Oriental has stationed 

 an eavesdropper, a spy, whose duty it will be to overhear the con- 

 versations of the strangers. And, forsooth, this listener is going 

 to overhear marvellous things ! Charlemagne proposes to follow 

 the time-honoured French custom of telling tales of stunning brag 

 and wondrous derring do, the posset going round freely all the 

 time. Tliev called this pastime gaber. Of course the proposal 



