The mountain Democrat., 1865-12-02
The Abbot OF St. gall.
AN OLD LEGEND FROM THE FRENCH.

LII tell you very 0rO'I story. Inere
was once upon a time an emperor this
emperor was jealous. There was also an
abbot, quite q grand gentlemaD-only q
pity that bis shepherd was wittier than
he. The emperor cared neither for cold
nor for warm; often he slept armed cap
a-pie under tent; scarcely had he enough
rye bread, water and sausage; often he
would suffer sadly from hunger and thirst
The MSiie abbot took more care Of him
self, and kept better table. His plump
face was resplendent like the full moon
three men touching their hands could not
encompass his paunch-and for this the
emperor often sought squabble with the
little abbot.
One day, riding along under a broiling
hot sun, With a grand escort of cavalry,
he met the abbot taking an airing before
his abbey.
'Oh, here's co. thought he to himself,
and sneeringly saluting the abbot, Ser.
want Of the church, how goes it with you?
quite well it appears to us!-prayer and
fasting, trow, DOM disagree with you.
Strikes US, though, that time hangs on
your hands, and you'll surely thank us
for giving you job. 1t is said you are
the most cunning of men, that you almost
hear the grass grow so now, to amuse
your plump cheeks, we'll give you three
pretty nuts to crack. We give you, reck-
oning from this day, three months, at the
expiration Of which, we'll hear you an
swer these three questions: 1stly, When
we're in the midst of our council Assem-.
bled, seated on our throne, and robed in
the imperial purple, you will tell US, like
a true connoisseur in money, how much
we are worth to the farthng. 2dly, You'll
calculate and tell us in how long we can
ride on horseback round the world-nOt
one minute more or less-we know all
that's but trifle to you. 8dly, o pearl
of prelates! you shall guess to ar ace,
our thoughts, (Which we'll loyalty confess
afterwards,) but in our thoughts there
must not be one particle of truth! And
you do not answer correctly these three
questions, you'll have been abbot too long;
we'll have you ridden about the country
on donkey, the tail in your hand in lieu
Of the bride =
So having said, the emperor, laughing
ly, trots away. The poor abbot cndgels
his head to split it. No rogue endured
more agony before the fatal moose. lie
sends to one, two, three, four universities,
interrogating one, two, three, four facul.
ties; pays fees and costs plus and more,
and, nevertheless, no doctor could solve
these problems.
Amidst the quakings and achings Of the
heart, the hours grew quickly into days,
the days into weeks, and the weeks into
months-fast was the term approaching
The poor abbot from yellow, grew green
'Despairingly, pale, with hollow cheeks
he unused in the fields, woods, and mos
retired spots. and in foot-path scarcely
tTodden, he met seated on rock his Shep
herd Jeannot Bindck.
oh! my lord abbot said Jeannot,
what ails you? BY my troth, you'll be
soon mcagre as a shadow You scarcely
craW along! Surely something evil has
happened to your
'Alackl good Jeannot Bindick, thou art
but too right, something has happened to
me. The emperor has given me rough
colt 10 comb; he's put twixt my teeth
three nuts that Belzebub himself would
6nd uneasy TO crack. Firstly, when in
his council assembled. he's seated on his
throne, robed in imperial purple, must
tell him, like true connOiSSeur, in mon
cyS, how much he's worth to the fa:thing.
Secondly, | must calculate and tell him
how long he could, on horseback, ride
round the world, not one moment more or
less, and he fancies all this is but triflc
to me. And thirdly, o most unfortunate
Of prtlates! | must guess, to an ace, his
thoughts! (Which he'll confess Loyalty af
teri An do not answer the three ques.
tionS, Ill have been abbot too long
He'll have me ridden round the country
on a donkey, the tail in my hand in lieu
of bride =
And nought more!' laughed Jeannot
Bindick. My lord abbot, resume your
peace, I'll settle all this-lend me but
your hood, your little cross and your habit.
Clothed in these, promise to render for
you the right responses. True as it is
that know no word Of Latin-what gen.
temen doctors can't learn with money |
inherited from my mother.
The abbot, delighted, skipped like a
lamb, With the hood and the cross. the
cloak and the girdle, Jeannot locked a
vertable abbot, and quickly proceeded to
the court Of the emperor. The emperor
was on his throne, in the midst of his
princes--magniicent--sceptre 10 hand, a
crown on his head, and robed in imperial
purple, and first clearing his voice, Now,
my lord abbot, approach, and like true
connoisseur in moneys, tell ME how much
we are worth to farlhing?'
Your Majesty, one worthier than you
was sold for thirty pieces of silver; so Id
give for you, (high as your majesty may
esteem itself only twenty nine t1orins, for
surely you are worth one form less than
He
'Ahem!' said the Emperor, the reason
ing is evident, and suffers to correct Sc
reneness of pride; 'pon my imperial honor
l never esteemed myself so cheap. Now
calculate, and tell how long It would take
US to ride round the world on horseback,
not one minute more or less :
Majesty. if you were to start in the
morning at the same instant as the sun,
and accompany him, riding as fast as he,
III wager my cloak and my cross that
your majesty would do it in twice twelve
hours.
'Oh!' quolh the Emperor, 'Oh, excel
lent oatsl You feed your horses upon ifs
and ands. The man that invented ifs and
ands certainly made gold Of chopped
straw. But now, gather all your wits to
the third question, else we'll condemn
thee to the donkey. What do we think
that is false? Say it directly, but no ifs
and ands.'
Majesty, you think l am the abbot Of
St. Gall p
without doubt, and there is nothing
false in this
Your pardon, majesty, your idea de-