But the hunters whose eyes was stedfastly bent vpon the beast.

They tried to trap the wolf by all means men could devise, but they could only fail until the Lord ordained his fall; even so, they went out daily with great mastiffs and dogs to chase him down and take him.

But one day, it so pleased God that they came across him in his wolfish guise, ready to meet him in the field. They beset and set their dogs upon him; he had no means of escape, and as the Lord delivered Goliath into the hands of David, so the dogs snapped at his heels, and seeing he had nothing now to lose, he slipped out of his girdle and immediately assumed his true form, staff in hand like one walking to town. However, the hunters had fixed their gaze upon him, and saw the transformation take place, and were amazed.

Had they not known him, they would have taken him to be some devil in the shape of a man; however, they recognised him as someone who had long dwelled in their town, and took him to his own home to confirm it was indeed Stubbe Peeter, and not an illusion or phantastical image.

So Stubbe Peeter was brought before the magistrates to be examined.

Notes.

'with great mastiffs and dogs'. Different breeds were raised to play different roles in the hunt, depending on the quarry. Here, the dogs pick up the scent and give chase, followed by the hunters with their mastiffs leashed; when the wolf is cornered, probably exhausted, the mastiffs are loosed for the kill.

'he slipped out of his girdle and immediately assumed his true form, staff in hand like one walking to town'. Having been chased down and cornered, he changes form before the mastiffs are set on him. I like how he is described as slipping from the girdle, wriggling free; he has no hands to unfasten it. Where the staff came from is anyone's guess; I imagine it being taken up from the leaf litter to protect himself from the pack.

'and took him to his own home'. Because if he was at home when they called, they'd have confirmed they had a different guy, or had been taken in by some trick or bewitchment. I also expect his neighbours would be able to confirm his identity, too.

'before the magistrates to be examined'. As we will see in the next instalment, this will not end well.

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A Journey to the Moon

Viaje a la Luna 1 White bed on a grey wall. Across the bedclothes a dance unfolds 13 & 22. First two, then more till they cover the bed like ants. 2 The bedclothes are torn off the bed by an invisible hand. 3 Big feet run fast in black and white lozenged socks. 4 A frightened head gaze fixed on a point dissolves into a wire head against a backdrop of water. 5 Letters help help help double exposure a vulva moving up and down. 6 A long corridor traversed by the machine a window down the end. 7 A view of Broadway by night. 8 Dissolve to previous scene. 9 A pair of legs swing quickly. 10 Legs dissolve into a mass of trembling hands. 11 Trembling hands double-exposure a weeping child. 12 The weeping child double-exposure the woman who beats him. 13 Fade to the long corridor camera moving backwards fast. 14 At the end wide shot of an eye double-exposure a fish dissolving into what follows. 15 Falling fast through a window letters double-exposed in blue help help . 16 Dissolve...

He understands well all manner of languages, and the virtue of all manner of herbs.

Capitulo xxxj. Which be friends and kin unto Reynard the Fox. The first child is named Byteluys who is much cherished and can make much sport and game wherefore is given him the fat trenchers and much other good meat which comes well to profit Fulrompe his brother and also my third child is a daughter and is named Hatenette she can well pick out lice and nits from men's heads these three be to each other true wherefore I love them well Dame Rukenawe called them forth and said welcome my dear children come forth and stand by Reynard your dear nephew then said she come forth all ye that be my kin and Reynard's and let us pray the King he will do to Reynard right of the land then came forth many a beast anon as the Squirrel the Stoat the Polecat the Marten the Bever with his wife Ordegale the Genet the Ostrole the Boussyng and the Ferret this twain fain eat a pullet as Reynard the Otter and Pantecroet his wife whom I had almost forgotten yet were they before with the Bever ene...

His Tongue did gaggle as if it were made of the Devil's Bollock Leather.

Chapter IV. How Robin the Cobbler, having got loose of the witches, became a new man, and of many notable exploits which he did, you shall pleasantly hear. Now, when Robin the Cobbler had broken the spells of witchcraft his eyesight his hearing his speech his senses and his knowledge was all restored unto him again yet he looked of a pitiful complexion just as a man may say like one of Pharaoh's lean kine his visage was pale and ghastly his eyes seemed as if they were sunk into his head his nose was like the nose of a scolding ale-wife long and sharp and his tongue did gaggle as if it were made of the Devil's bollock leather his belly and his back were so clung together he was scarce able to shit for bones Nor had he any kind of habit to put on that was worth the throwing to the dunghill only an old lousy smock and a pair of slip-shoes which one of the witches gave him out of here mere pitiful charity yet he knew himself to be far happier than he was before when he was ridden...

Paul Summers Young

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