The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-10-15
zuTo. THE sORCERKR.
ArALEw WHICH nIc0UNTs THE AHABis y
tElGHTs,

a IN liz " II u lFl-tNt - lItfs AitNtt-h.N -
KElGHTs,
Very extraordinary things are related
Of ZiitO. n sOrCereE. in the court of Wen
ceslaus, king of Bohemia, and after
wards emperor of Germany, IN the latter
part of the fourteenth century. This Is
perhaps, all things considered, the most
wonderful specimen Of magical power
anywhere to be found 1t is gTavely re-
corded by DubraviOus, bishop of Oimutz,
in his history ol bohemia, 70 was pub
Iicly exhibited 1u occasion OF the mar
Tiage Of " enccsluus with sophia, daugh-
ter of the Eiector Palatine.of Bavaria,
before a Vust assembled multitude
The father-iu-law Of the king, well
aware OF the uridegrOOm's known pre-
dilection for theatrical exhibitions and
magical illusions. brought with him to
Prague the capital Of WenCeslaus, Il
whole TagUu-lOad OF mOrrice dancers
and irgglers. who made their appear
ance among the royal retiuue Mean
while, Ziito, the tavOrlte magician Of
the king took his place ODscurely among
the ordinary spectators. He, however.
immediately arrested the attention OF
the strangers, being remarked for his
extraordinary deformity, and a mouth
that stretched completely from ear to
ear ZiiUO was for some time engaged in
quietly observing the tricks and sleights
that were exhibited.
Al length. while the chief magician
OF the EIectOr Pdlatine was still busily
employed in showing some OF the most
admired specimens of his art, the BOhe-
lniau, indignant at what appeared to
him the bungling exhibitions of his
brother artist. came for ward and re-
preached him with the uHskillfulnCss of
his performances. The two professors
presently fell into warm debate ZiitO.
provoked at the insOlence of his rival
made no more ado but swallowed him
whole before the multitude, attired as
he was. all but his shoes, which he OBJ
iected to because they were dirty. He
then retired tOr a short while to a closet,
and presently returned leading the ma
gIciau along with him.
Having thus disposed Of his rival
ZiitO proceeded to exhibit the wonders
of his art lie showed himself first in
his proper shape, and then in those of
different persons successivCly, with coun-
tenauces and a stature totally dissimiIar
to his own at one time splendidly at
tired in robes Of purple and silk, and
then in the JwiukliHg OF an eye in coarse
linen and CiOWuIsh coat of fTleZe. lie
would proceed along the field with q
smooth and undulatiug motion without
changing the posture Of a limb for all
the world rs n he were carried along in
n ship. He would keep pace with the
king s. chariot, i'm % car drawn by barn
d9Ur fowls. He also amused the king s
guests. as they sat ut table by causing.
when they stretched out their hands to
the different dishes, sometimes theiI
hands To- turn into the cjOveu feet of an
OK. aud at other times !ntO the h00fs of
a horse. He would clap Ola them the
antlers of q deer. SO that when they put
their heads ont at q window to see some
sight that wus going by, they could by
no means draw them back again while
he ia the meantime feas,ed or the savory
Gates that had been spread before them
al his leisure
At pfe liFne me pretended 10 be in want
of money, and to task has wits to devise
the means 10 procure it. On such al
occasion hC took up q handful of grains
Of corn. and presently gave them the
form and appearance of thirty hogs,
well tattCd for the market. He drove
these hogs 30 LGe residence of one Nj
CEael, q rich dealer, but who was re
marked for being uruuriUus and thrifty
il his bargains. lie offered them tt
Michael for whatever price lie should
judge reasonable. The bargain was
presently struck, IiitC at the same time
warning the purchaser that he should
on 10 account drive them to the river
10 drink. Michael, however. paid IL
attention to this advice and the hogs
no sooner arrived at the river than they
turned into grains of corn as before
The dealer. greatly ouraged st this trick
sought high and low for the seller. that
he might 90 reveugel on him
At length he found him in q winners
shop, seemingly in gloomy and absent
frame Of mind, Ueposing himself, with
his legs stretched out Oh FORM The
dealer called oIt 60 him, but he seemed
not TO hear. Finally he seized ZiitO 10y
one foot. plucEiug at it with all his
might. The foot came away with the
leg ana thigh. aud ZiitO screamed out.
apparently i'm great agony. lie seized
Michael by the uape OF the neck and
dragged him before q judge. Here the
two set up their separate complaints,
Michael for the fraud that had been
committed on him. and Ziito for the ir-
TeUarab,e injury he had suffered in his
person. From this adventure came the
proycrb, frequently used ia the days OF
the historian, speaking of a person who
had made an mprOyideut bargain. He
made just such purchase rs Michael
did with his hogs. Men York Ne,rs