mahabali

PRESTOR JOHN, THE KALABHRAS AND MAHABALI ; WHAT IS ONAM ALL ABOUT? M. M. NINAN
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again into the earth, so that at the going down of the sun they appear no more.
And so they do, every day. And that is a great marvel.
In that desert be many wild men, that be hideous to look on; for they be horned,
and they speak nought, but they grunt, as pigs. And there is also great plenty of
wild hounds. And there be many popinjays, that they clepe psittakes in their
language. And they speak of their proper nature, and salute men that go
through the deserts, and speak to them as apertly as though it were a man.
And they that speak well have a large tongue, and have five toes upon a foot.
And there be also of another manner, that have but three toes upon a foot, and
they speak not, or but little, for they can not but cry.
This Emperor Prester John when he goeth into battle against any other lord, he
hath no banners borne before him; but he hath three crosses of gold, fine, great
and high, full of precious stones, and every of those crosses be set in a chariot,
full richly arrayed. And for to keep every cross, be ordained 10,000 men of arms
and more than 100,000 men on foot, in manner as men would keep a standard
in our countries, when that we be in land of war. And this number of folk is
without the principal host and without wings ordained for the battle. And when
he hath no war, but rideth with a privy meinie, then he hath borne before him but
one cross of tree, without painting and without gold or silver or precious stones,
in remembrance that Jesu Christ suffered death upon a cross of tree. And he
hath borne before him also a platter of gold full of earth, in token that his
noblesse and his might and his flesh shall turn to earth. And he hath borne
before him also a vessel of silver, full of noble jewels of gold full rich and of
precious stones, in token of his lordship and of his noblesse and of his might.
He dwelleth commonly in the city of Susa. And there is his principal palace, that
is so rich and so noble, that no man will trow it by estimation, but he had seen it.
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