Them flee before them, because of the smell, and then
they gather it surely enough.
Also toward the head of that forest is the city of Polombe. And
above the city is a great mountain that also is clept Polombe. And
of that mount the city hath his name.
And at the foot of that mount is a fair well and a great, that hath
odour and savour of all spices. And at every hour of the day he
changeth his odour and his savour diversely. And whoso drinketh
three times fasting of that water of that well he is whole of all
manner sickness that he hath. And they that dwell there and drink
often of that well they never have sickness; and they seem always
young. I have drunken thereof three or four sithes, and yet,
methinketh, I fare the better. Some men clepe it the well of
youth. For they that often drink thereof seem always young-like,
and live without sickness. And men say, that that well cometh out
of Paradise, and therefore it is so virtuous.
By all that country groweth good ginger, and therefore thither go
the merchants for spicery.
In that land men worship the ox for his simpleness and for his
meekness, and for the profit that cometh of him. And they say,
that he is the holiest beast in earth. For them seemeth, that
whosoever be meek and patient, he is holy and profitable; for then,
they say, he hath all virtues in him. They make the ox to labour
six year or seven, and then they eat him. And the king of the
country hath alway an ox with him. And he that keepeth him hath
every day great fees, and keepeth every day his dung and his urine
in two vessels of gold, and bring it before their prelate that they
clepe Archi-protopapaton. And he beareth it before the king and
maketh there over a great blessing. And then the king wetteth his
hands there, in that they clepe gall, and anointeth his front and
his breast. And after, he froteth him with the dung and with the
urine with great reverence, for to be fullfilled of virtues of the
ox and made holy by the virtue of that holy thing that nought is
worth. And when the king hath done, then do the lords; and after
them their ministers and other men, if they may have any remenant.
In that country they make idols, half man half ox. And in those
idols evil spirits speak and give answer to men of what is asked
them. Before these idols men slay their children many times, and
spring the blood upon the idols; and so they make their sacrifice.
![The Travels Of Sir John Mandeville By Sir John Mandeville
- But thus they do:
they anoint their hands and their feet [with a juice] made of
snails and of other - Page 85](../images/travel.jpg)
