He gazed; Morgante's height he calculated,
And more than once contemplated his size;
And then he said, «Oh giant celebrated,
Know, that no more my wonder will arise,
How you could tear and fling the trees you late did
When I behold your form with my own eyes.
You now a true and perfect friend will show
Yourself to Christ, as once you were a foe.
<< And one of our apostles, Saul once named, Long persecuted sore the faith of Christ, Till one day by the Spirit being inflamed,
'Why dost thou persecute me thus?' said Christ And then from his offence he was reclaimed,
And went for ever after preaching Christ; And of the faith became a trump, whose sounding O'er the whole earth is echoing and rebounding.
« So, my Morgante, you may do likewise;
He who repents, thus writes the Evangelist,Occasions more rejoicing in the skies
Than ninety-nine of the celestial list.
You may be sure, should each desire arise
With just zeal for the Lord, that you 'll exist Among the happy saints for evermore;
But you were lost and damn'd to hell before!»>
And thus great honour to Morgante paid
The abbot: many days they did repose.
One day, as with Orlando they both stray'd,
And saunter'd here and there, where'er they chose, The abbot shold a chamber, where array'd
Much armour was, and hung up certain bows;
And one of these Morgante for a whim
Girt on, though useless, he believed, to him.
There being a want of water in the place,
Orlando, like a worthy brother, said,
Morgante, I could wish you in this case
To go for water.>> <<< You shall be obey'd
In all commands,» was the reply, «< straightways.>>
Upon his shoulder a great tub he laid,
And went out on his way unto a fountain,
Where he was wont to drink below the mountain.
Arrived there, a prodigious noise he hears,
Which suddenly along the forest spread;
Whereat from out his quiver he prepares
An arrow for his bow, and lifts his head;
And lo! a monstrous herd of swine appears,
And onward rushes with tempestuous tread,
And to the fountain's brink precisely pours,
So that the giant's join'd by all the boars.
Morgante at a venture shot an arrow,
Which pierced a pig precisely in the ear,
And pass'd unto the other side quite thorough
So that the boar, defunct, lay tripp'd up near.
Another, to revenge his fellow farrow,
Against the giant rush'd in fierce career,
And reach'd the passage with so swift a foot,
Morgante was not now in time to shoot.
Perceiving that the pig was on him close,
He gave him such a punch upon the head
As floor'd him, so that he no more arose-
Smashing the very bone; and he fell dead
Next to the other. Having seen such blows,
The other pigs along the valley fled;
Morgante on his neck the bucket took,
Full from the spring, which neither swerved nor shook
The tun was on one shoulder, and there were
The hogs on t' other, and he brush'd apace
On to the abbey, though by no means near,
Nor spilt one drop of water in his race.
Orlando, seeing him so soon appear
With the dead boars, and with that brimful vase, Marvell'd to see his strength so very great;
So did the abbot, and set wide the gate.
The monks, who saw the water fresh and good, Rejoiced, but much more to perceive the pork; All animals are glad at sight of food:
They lay their breviaries to sleep, and work
With greedy pleasure, and in such a mood,
That the flesh needs no salt beneath their fork.
Of rankness and of rot there is no fear,
For all the fasts are now left in arrear.
As though they wish'd to burst at once, they ate;
And gorged so that, as if the bones had been
In water, sorely grieved the dog and cat,
Perceiving that they all were pick'd too clean.
The abbot, who to all did honour great,
A few days after this convivial scene,
ave to Morgante a fine horse well train'd,
Which he long time had for himself maintain'd.
The horse Morgante to a meadow led,
To gallop, and to put him to the proof,
Thinking that he a back of iron had,
Or to skim eggs unbroke was light enough;
But the horse, sinking with the pain, fell dead,
And burst, while cold on earth lay head and hoof.
Morgante said, « Get up, thou sulky cur!»
And still continued pricking with the spur.
But finally he thought fit to dismount,
And said, «<<I am as light as any feather,
And he has burst-to this what say you, count?»
Orlando answered, « Like a ship's mast rather
You seem to me, and with the truck for front:-
Let him go; fortune wills that we together
Should march, but you on foot, Morgante, still.»
To which the giant answered, «< So I will.
« When there shall be occasion, you
How I approve my courage in the fight.»>
Orlando said, << I really think you'll be,
If it should prove God's will, a goodly knight,
Nor will you napping there discover me:
But never mind your horse, though out of sight 'T were best to carry him into some wood, If but the means or way I understood.»>
The giant said, «Then carry him I will,
Since that to carry me he was so slack-
To render, as the gods do, good for ill;
But lend a hand to place him on my back.»>
Orlando answer'd, « If my counsel still
May weigh, Morgante, do not undertake
To lift or carry this dead courser, who,
As you have done to him, will do to you.
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