Page 137

Lx

semble proprement que che soit une bien grant is
le. Dont il advient aucunefoiz que les maronniers
alans par laditte mer sont grandement decheupz et ab
usez. Car ilz cuident certainement que che soit terre fer
me pour quoy ilz vagent de randon celle part Et quant
ilz ont illec dessus fait leurs preprarations de feu et de
logiz et de che que mestier leur est comme ceulx qui cui
dent estre a terre ferme. ilz alument du feu pour faire
leur cuisine mais incontinent que che merveilleux
poisson sent la chaleur du feu ilz se esmeut moult
souldainement et se devale en leaue au plus parfont
et par ainsi tout che quil a sur lui est perdu en la
mer Si sont par che moyen les navires peries et
les gens noiez quant ilz cuident estre a sauvete. Plen
te d'aultres poissons a en celle mer qui ont testes et
corps de pucelle et ont belles tresches faites de leurs
cheveulx. Jusques a lombril ont corps de puchelle et
le demourant est comme le corps et la queue dun
poisson. Et les aucuns ont eilles comme oyseaulx
si est leur chant tant doulz et tant melodieux que
cest merveilles a oyr et sont appellez syrenes. dont

60

it actually appears to be a very large island. For this
reason it sometimes happens that sailors on that sea
are greatly deceived and misled. For they believe
firmly that it is dry land, so they walk about on it freely.
And, as if they were on dry land, after they finished their preparations for a fire
and have settled on a place to stay, as is needful for them,
they light the fire to cook their
dinner. But as soon as this tremendous fish feels
the heat of the fire it moves suddenly, diving
into the deepest part of the water, and everyone who
was on top of it is lost in the sea. Many ships have
perished by this means and people have died who
believed themselves safe. There are many other
fish in this sea who have the head and body
of a young woman, with hair in beautiful
tresses. To the waist they have the body of a young
woman, but the remaining part is like the body and
tail of a fish. And others have wings like birds,
and their singing is so sweet and melodious that
it is marvellous to hear. These are called Sirens.

Lx

semble proprement que che soit une bien grant is
le. Dont il advient aucunefoiz que les maronniers
alans par laditte mer sont grandement decheupz et ab
usez. Car ilz cuident certainement que che soit terre fer
me pour quoy ilz vagent de randon celle part Et quant
ilz ont illec dessus fait leurs preprarations de feu et de
logiz et de che que mestier leur est comme ceulx qui cui
dent estre a terre ferme. ilz alument du feu pour faire
leur cuisine mais incontinent que che merveilleux
poisson sent la chaleur du feu ilz se esmeut moult
souldainement et se devale en leaue au plus parfont
et par ainsi tout che quil a sur lui est perdu en la
mer Si sont par che moyen les navires peries et
les gens noiez quant ilz cuident estre a sauvete. Plen
te d'aultres poissons a en celle mer qui ont testes et
corps de pucelle et ont belles tresches faites de leurs
cheveulx. Jusques a lombril ont corps de puchelle et
le demourant est comme le corps et la queue dun
poisson. Et les aucuns ont eilles comme oyseaulx
si est leur chant tant doulz et tant melodieux que
cest merveilles a oyr et sont appellez syrenes. dont

60

it actually appears to be a very large island. For which
reason it sometimes happens that sailors on that sea
are greatly deceived and misled. For they believe
firmly that it is dry land, so they walk about on it freely.
And, as if they were on dry land, after they finished their preparations for a fire
and have settled on a place to stay, as is needful for them,
they light the fire to cook their
dinner. But suddenly this tremendous fish feels
the heat of the fire and moves suddenly, diving
into the deepest part of the water, and everyone who
was on top of it is lost in the sea. Many ships have
perished by this means and people have died who
believed themselves safe. There are many other
fish in this see who have the head and body
of a young woman, whose hair is in beautiful
tresses. To the waist they have the body of a young
woman, and the remaining part is like the body and
tail of a fish. And others have wings like birds,
and their singing is so sweet and melodious that
it is marvellous to hear. These are called Sirens.