Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/41

Rh third time; and the gardener, provoked at the creature's obstinacy, cut off his tail,—with which ignominious loss he departed, as formerly, making a tremendous uproar. However, he appeared on a fourth occasion, and committed the like injuries; when Jonathan, more and more incensed, caught up a lance and transfixed him upon the spot. He was then sent to the royal kitchen, and prepared for the king's table. Now Trajan, it seems, was especially partial to the heart of any animal; and the cook, observing that the boar's heart was particularly fat and delicate, reserved it for his own tooth. When, therefore, the emperor's dinner was served up, the heart was enquired after; and the servants returned to the cook. "Tell my lord," said the fellow, "that it had no heart; and if he disbelieve it, say that I will adduce convincing reasons for the defect." The servants delivered the cook's message, and the astonished emperor exclaimed, "What do I hear? There is no animal without a heart! But since he offers to prove his assertion we will hear him." The cook was sent for, and spoke thus, "My lord, listen to