Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/45

Rh The traveller took leave of him and went on his journey, and was making the best of his way that day till night came. He took up his lodging likewise at a gentleman's house, and it was an agreeable lovely place to be in. He went to sleep early, for he was tired from the journey. He did not rise in the morning till the sun had thrown its shadows clearly on the bed. Who came to him opposite the bed but a young woman, very beautiful of figure and appearance. She spoke to him with clever words full of much love. Modestly and gently she asked him if it was his pleasure to take her to himself as wife. From the great pleasure caused by her appearance he said to her that it was his will to take her for ever, although he did not remember at the time the spells which were on him since he left home. She wrote out articles of agreement that moment and told him to sign his name below. He said to her, "I have no ink." "Take a drop of blood from the tip of thy finger, and put it on the pen and write, then the business will be legal." He did as she told him, and that finished the bargain between them. She put up the writing, binding him to her, speedily, and said to him this: "Which dost thou prefer, to consent to marry me this morning, or to be married with me in hell to-morrow morning?" He shook with fear from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, and said to her, "Woman, I have nothing to do with thee. There shall be no dealing between me and thee. Give me my writing." "Thou art afraid," said she; "thou art too late, and the time is not far from thee in which thou wilt be with me as husband, enduring the pains of hell." She went off like an arrow. He rose from the bed and asked mercy of God to deliver him from the desperate scrape in which he was.

He was in that state till he had taken his breakfast. He did not know what he should do. He thought over it a long time within himself what he could do to defend himself against her. Finally, he remembered it would be a good thing to go to Rome, tell his tale to the Pope, and get profitable advice from him.

Thereupon he set his face towards Rome, and in time found a place for conversation with the Pope. He narrated everything that had happened to him, and the hard circumstances in which he now was.

The Pope said it was not in his power to do him any service what-