So Passe To The Other Side
Where She Finds A Bladder Of Bear's Grease To Grease Herselfe And Refresh
Herselfe
For that which she is to do, which being done she finds a wood
somewhat cleerer and a straight road
That she must goe, and for 5 dayes
neither goe to the right nor to the left hand, where at last being arrived
she finds a very great and cleer fire, through which she must resolve to
passe. That fire is kindled by the young men that dyed since the beginning
of the world to know whether those that come have loved the women or have
been good huntsmen; and if that soule has not had any of those rare Vertues
she burnes and broiles the sole of her feet by going through the fire; but
quite contrary if she has had them qualityes, she passes through without
burning her selfe in the least, and from that so hot place she finds grease
and paint of all sorts of colour with which she daubs and makes herselfe
beautifull, to come to that place so wished for. But she has not yet all
done, nor made an end of her voyage; being so dress'd she continues her
course still towards the same pole for the space of two dayes in a very
cleer wood, and where there is very high and tall trees of which most be
oakes, which is the reason that there is great store of bears. All along
that way they do nothing else but see their enemies layd all along upon the
ground, that sing their fatall song for having been vanquished in this
world and also in the other, not daring to be so bold as to kill one of
those animalls, and feed onely upon the down of these beasts. Being
arrived, if I may say, at the doore of that imaginarie paradise, they find
a company of their ancestors long since deceased, by whom they are received
with a great deale of ceremony, and are brought by so venerable a company
within halfe a daye's journey of the place of the meeting, and all along
the rest of the way they discourse of things of this world that are passd;
for you must know they travell halfe a day without speaking one word, but
keepe a very deep silence, for, said they, it is like the Goslings to
confound one another with words. As soon as they are arrived they must have
a time to come to themselves, to think well upon what they are to speak
without any precipitation, but with Judgement, so that they are come where
all manner of company with drumms & dryd bumpkins, full of stones and other
such instruments. The elders that have brought her there cover her with a
very large white skin, and colour her leggs with vermillion and her feet
likewise, and so she is received amongst the Predestinates. There is a deep
silence made as soon as she is come in, and then one of the elders makes a
long speech to encourage the young people to go a hunting to kill some meat
to make a feast for entertainment of the soul of their countryman, which is
put in execution with a great deal of diligence and hast; and while the
meat is boyling or roasting, and that there is great preparations made for
the feast, the young maidens set out themselves with the richest Jewells
and present the beesome to the new-comer.
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