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the reign of the emperor Fulgentius, a certain knight named Zedechias married a very beautiful but imprudent wife. In the hall of their mansion a serpent dwelt. Now the knight's vehement inclination for tournaments and jousting, brought him to extreme poverty: he grieved immoderately, and like one who was desperate, walked backward and forward, ignorant of what he should do. The serpent, beholding his misery, like the ass of Balaam, was, on that occasion, miraculously gifted with a voice, and said to the knight, "Why do you lament? Take my advice, and you shall not repent it. Supply me every day with a certain quantity of sweet milk, and I will enrich you." This promise