Page:The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart.pdf/171

Rh

2. We then enter into another temple, white and clean, in which there were but images of living beings; some of these were shaking their heads, muttering somewhat in a low voice; others raised themselves, stopped their ears and then opened their mouths wide, emitting a sound not dissimilar from the howl of a wolf. Then they crowded together and looked at certain books; and stepping up to them I saw wondrous paintings; for instance, a feathered and winged beast, birds also without feathers and wings, beasts with the limbs of men, and men with the limbs of beasts, one body with many heads, and then again a head with many bodies. Some of these monsters had instead of a head a tail, others again a tail instead of a head; others had eyes under their belly, and feet at their backs; some, again, had countless eyes, ears, feet; others had nothing of this sort; and all this was strangely displaced, twisted, bent, crooked, and most unequal. For one limb was a span, another fathoms long; one had the breadth of a finger, another that of a barrel; generally everything was monstrous, more than can be believed. They, however, said that these were but vain tales, and, praising how fine it was, the elders expounded the mystery to the younger men. And I said: "Who, then, could believe there were men who could relish such tasteless things? Let us leave them; let us go elsewhere." And going out, I see that these