And there be also many wild
beasts, and namely of elephants.
In that isle is a great mountain. And in mid place of the mount is
a great lake in a full fair plain; and there is great plenty of
water. And they of the country say, that Adam and Eve wept upon
that mount an hundred year, when they were driven out of Paradise,
and that water, they say, is of their tears; for so much water they
wept, that made the foresaid lake. And in the bottom of that lake
men find many precious stones and great pearls. In that lake grow
many reeds and great canes; and there within be many cocodrills and
serpents and great water-leeches. And the king of that country,
once every year, giveth leave to poor men to go into the lake to
gather them precious stones and pearls, by way of alms, for the
love of God that made Adam. And all the year men find enough. And
for the vermin that is within, they anoint their arms and their
thighs and legs with an ointment made of a thing that is clept
lemons, that is a manner of fruit like small pease; and then have
they no dread of no cockodrills, ne of none other venomous vermin.
This water runneth, flowing and ebbing, by a side of the mountain,
and in that river men find precious stones and pearls, great
plenty. And men of that isle say commonly, that the serpents and
the wild beasts of that country will not do no harm ne touch with
evil no strange man that entereth into that country, but only to
men that be born of the same country.
In that country and others thereabout there be wild geese that have
two heads. And there be lions, all white and as great as oxen, and
many other diverse beasts and fowls also that be not seen amongst
us.
And wit well, that in that country and in other isles thereabout,
the sea is so high, that it seemeth as though it hung at the
clouds, and that it would cover all the world. And that is great
marvel that it might be so, save only the will of God, that the air
sustaineth it. And therefore saith David in the Psalter, MIRABILES
ELATIONES MARIS.
CHAPTER XXII
HOW MEN KNOW BY THE IDOL, IF THE SICK SHALL DIE OR NOT. OF FOLK OF
DIVERSE SHAPE AND MARVELLOUSLY DISFIGURED. AND OF THE MONKS THAT
GAVE THEIR RELIEF TO BABOONS, APES, AND MARMOSETS, AND TO OTHER
BEASTS
FROM that isle, in going by sea toward the south, is another great
isle that is clept Dondun. In that isle be folk of diverse kinds,
so that the father eateth the son, the son the father, the husband
the wife, and the wife the husband. And if it so befall, that the
father or mother or any of their friends be sick, anon the son
goeth to the priest of their law and prayeth him to ask the idol if
his father or mother or friend shall die on that evil or not. And
then the priest and the son go together before the idol and kneel
full devoutly and ask of the idol their demand. And if the devil
that is within answer that he shall live, they keep him well; and
if he say that he shall die, then the priest goeth with the son,
with the wife of him that is sick, and they put their hands upon
his mouth and stop his breath, and so they slay him. And after
that, they chop all the body in small pieces, and pray all his
friends to come and eat of him that is dead. And they send for all
the minstrels of the country and make a solemn feast. And when
they have eaten the flesh, they take the bones and bury them, and
sing and make great melody. And all those that be of his kin or
pretend them to be his friends, an they come not to that feast,
they be reproved for evermore and shamed, and make great dole, for
never after shall they be holden as friends. And they say also,
that men eat their flesh for to deliver them out of pain; for if
the worms of the earth eat them the soul should suffer great pain,
as they say. And namely when the flesh is tender and meagre, then
say their friends, that they do great sin to let them have so long
languor to suffer so much pain without reason. And when they find
the flesh fat, then they say, that it is well done to send them
soon to Paradise, and that they have not suffered him too long to
endure in pain.
The king of this isle is a full great lord and a mighty, and hath
under him fifty-four great isles that give tribute to him. And in
everych of these isles is a king crowned; and all be obeissant to
that king. And he hath in those isles many diverse folk.
In one of these isles be folk of great stature, as giants. And
they be hideous for to look upon. And they have but one eye, and
that is in the middle of the front. And they eat nothing but raw
flesh and raw fish.
And in another isle toward the south dwell folk of foul stature and
of cursed kind that have no heads. And their eyen be in their
shoulders.
And in another isle be folk that have the face all flat, all plain,
without nose and without mouth. But they have two small holes, all
round, instead of their eyes, and their mouth is plat also without
lips.
