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these hunters never escape from there
unless they scatter mirrors on the ground
where they are running. For the tigers are of such a nature that
when they see their own image they protect it
as if it were their offspring. When they are surrounded
by mirrors they break the glass, and as a result they
cannot see anything. By this means the hunters escape.
Sometimes it happens that the tigers are so entranced with
looking at themselves that they are easily
captured alive. And there are other beasts
there that are called castors [beavers], which are of such a nature
that when they are hunted, in order to escape they
bite off their own genitals and let them fall to the ground,
castrating themselves because they know
that they have not been hunted for any other purpose.
Another small beast is born there that is like
a mouse. It has a small mouth and is called a
musqualiet. In this place there are dry trees
that spoke to Alexander, the powerful king.
There is also another beast that is called a salamander, which

Notes and Questions

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Marie Richards

original ms. Folio 49v
Walters ms. Folio 54v
BL Royal MS 19 A IX fols 55v-56r
Caxton, ed. Prior, pp. 74-75.
Gossuin, ed. Prior, 114-115

Marie Richards

Lines 5-7: not sure what he's trying to say here.