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SAINT CHRISTOPHER
A GOLDEN LEGEND
ENGLISHED BY WILLIAM CAXTON (ADAPTED)
Christopher was a Canaanite, and he was of a
right great stature, twelve cubits in height, and
had a terrible countenance. And it is said that as
he served and dwelled with the King of Canaan,
it came in his mind that he would seek the
greatest prince that was in the world, and him would
he serve and obey.
So he went forth and came to a right great
king, whom fame said was the greatest of the
world. And when the king saw him he received
him into his service, and made him to dwell in
his court.
Upon a time a minstrel sang before him a song
in which he named oft the devil. And the king,
who was a Christian, when he heard him name
the devil, made anon the sign of the cross.
And when Christopher saw that he marveled,
and asked what the sign might mean. And because
the king would not say, he said: ``If thou
tell me not, I shall no longer dwell with thee.''
And then the King told him, saying: ``Alway
when I hear the devil named make I this sign lest
he grieve or annoy me.''
Then said Christopher to him: ``Fearest thou
the devil? Then is the devil more mighty and
greater than thou art. I am then deceived, for I
had supposed that I had found the most mighty
and the most greatest lord in all the world!
Fare thee well, for I will now go seek the devil
to be my lord and I his servant.''
So Christopher departed from this king and
hastened to seek the devil. And as he went by a
great desert he saw a company of knights, and one
of them, a knight cruel and horrible, came to him
and demanded whither he went.
And Christopher answered: ``I go to seek the
devil for to be my master.''
Then said the knight: ``I am he that thou
seekest.''
And then Christopher was glad and bound himself
to be the devil's servant, and took him for his
master and lord.
Now, as they went along the way they found
there a cross, erect and standing. And anon as the
devil saw the cross he was afeared and fled. And
when Christopher saw that he marveled and
demanded why he was afeared, and why he fled
away. And the devil would not tell him in no
wise.
Then Christopher said to him: ``If thou wilt not
tell me, I shall anon depart from thee and shall
serve thee no more.''
Wherefore the devil was forced to tell him and
said: ``There was a man called Christ, which was
hanged on the cross, and when I see his sign I am
sore afraid and flee from it.''
To whom Christopher said: ``Then he is greater
and more mightier than thou, since thou art
afraid of his sign,and I see well that I have labored
in vain, and have not founden the greatest lord of
the world. I will serve thee no longer, but I will
go seek Christ.''
And when Christopher had long sought where
he should find Christ, at last he came into a great
desert, to a hermit that dwelt there. And he
inquired of him where Christ was to be found.
Then answered the hermit: ``The king whom
thou desirest to serve, requireth that thou must
often fast.''
Christopher said: ``Require of me some other
thing and I shall do it, but fast I may not.''
And the hermit said: ``Thou must then wake
and make many prayers.''
And Christopher said: ``I do not know how to
pray, so this I may not do.''
And the hermit said: ``Seest thou yonder deep
and wide river, in which many people have
perished? Because thou art noble, and of high
stature and strong of limb, so shalt thou live by
the river and thou shalt bear over all people who
pass that way. And this thing will be pleasing
to our Lord Jesu Christ, whom thou desirest to
serve, and I hope he shall show himself to thee.''
Then said Christopher: ``Certes, this service
may I well do, and I promise Him to do it.''
Then went Christopher to this river, and built
himself there a hut. He carried a great pole in his
hand, to support himself in the water, and bore
over on his shoulders all manner of people to the
other side. And there he abode, thus doing many
days.
And on a time, as he slept in his hut, he heard
the voice of a child which called him:--
``Christopher, Christopher, come out and bear
me over.''
Then he awoke and went out, but he found no
man. And when he was again in his house he
heard the same voice, crying:--
``Christopher, Christopher, come out and bear
me over.''
And he ran out and found nobody.
And the third time he was called and ran
thither, and he found a Child by the brink of the
river, which prayed him goodly to bear him over
the water.
And then Christopher lifted up the Child on his
shoulders, and took his staff, and entered into the
river for to pass over. And the water of the river
arose and swelled more and more; and the Child
was heavy as lead, and always as Christopher
went farther the water increased and grew more,
and the Child more and more waxed heavy, insomuch
that Christopher suffered great anguish and
was afeared to be drowned.
And when he was escaped with great pain, and
passed over the water, and set the Child aground,
he said:--
``Child, thou hast put me in great peril. Thou
weighest almost as I had all the world upon me.
I might bear no greater burden.''
And the Child answered: ``Christopher, marvel
thee nothing, for thou hast not only borne all the
world upon thee, but thou hast borne Him that
created and made all the world, upon thy
shoulders. I am Jesu Christ the King whom thou
servest. And that thou mayest know that I say
the truth, set thy staff in the earth by thy house,
and thou shalt see to-morn that it shall bear
flowers and fruit.''
And anon the Child vanished from his eyes.
And then Christopher set his staff in the earth,
and when he arose on the morn, he found his staff
bearing flowers, leaves, and dates.
SAINT CHRISTOPHER
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