Exodus, Chapter II

And it came then that the summer days ended and the time of harvest was begun, and in the ninth month R. Dudlius gathered his wife and her all her possessions and his son and all his possessions, and they made journey eastward beyond past the great city and its river unto the slopes of Mt. Wegmans, and they made their dwelling there in a new home which was strange unto them and unknown.

And on the day they made their journey they were joined by men of stout hands, including Thomas, son of Richard, the father of R. Dudlius and the grandfather of James Bear. Also with him did he bring his other strong sons, the minstrel Pax and the priest Calvus. Even up from the southern lands came the mother of fair Julie, in a journey not made lightly. Yet there was burdensome toil to be wrought, and in no wise was even their strength together equal to the labor. And then came also goodly William the Engineer, who had fit conveyance for such work and was much skilled in its accomplishment. And then also came the flute-girl Cassandra, and goodly Joseph, the father of Alexa.

On the twentieth day of the ninth month did R. Dudlius and his wife and his son strike their dwelling and move all their possessions, and there were exceeding many, even more than they had counted in their careful reckoning. So many were there indeed, that their conveyance was overbrimmed and could only be moved by the strength of its subtle engine. Among their possessions numbered many fine clothes, garments and undergarments and coats to be worn in cold of the northern-lands. There were also many fine costumes of such sort as the musicians should wear, yet the odor of these was no longer pleasant. There was also woodcraft for sturdy chairs and tables, and of these some were fine and carved well, but some also were rude and made by unskilled hands. There were in those days many boxes heavy laden with books. And in those lands books are contrived with light expense, and even the basest laborer might buy many books for himself to little cost. Yet these books are full of idle tales and nonsense, and it would not profit a man to read the books of that land, for they have no poets or wise men and such as they have pay no thought to the words they write in books. Yet R. Dudlius had among his books several dozen in the olden tongues, and even among these was he urged to lock them away in hidden places, for their appearance was in no way sightly to the eye. And also among the possessions of R. Dudlius and his wife and his son were devices made by strange craft for to be used with foods, and in that land also a base laborer might keep his own kitchen without cook or servant. There were also musical instruments of great beauty and value, and fine things for the small James Bear--pictures and skin-balls and doll animals and wheel-shod toys. And all these did R. Dudlius and his father and his brothers and his friends carry by the strength of their arms. And when all was finished the sun had descended and the night had grown cold, yet they took strong refreshment of ale for the toil of their work.

And thus was the manner of their new dwelling. It an hour's walk from the home of Calvus the priest, though many wide roads lay between upon which mighty engines passed through the day and through the night. And there was beside one of these roads a circuit of buildings which enclosed a green courtyard. And this courtyard was much loved by James Bear, for in it he would take refreshment and hunt the squirrels which made their home in its trees, and he would also stand in the gazebos and give mighty shouts, for he considered himself as a great knight in the order of Sir Thopas. And there was entrance from this courtyard to a wooden house with six dwellings, and R. Dudlius made his dwelling at the top of steep stairs. Their dwelling was not according to their usual custom, for all the inside was much-bathed and clean from all dirt and defilement. This was pleasing to the wife of R. Dudlius, but most pleasing of all to her was the sorcerous device by which she would wash her kitchen vessels without basin water or the toil of her hands. On this device she was much overjoyed.

And it came one day that R. Dudlius and his wife and his son made visit to the house of Hamway, where dwelled their friend Joseph and his wife and son, and their maiden daughter Alexa. And when Alexa beheld James Bear she was smitten with the sting of love, and she desired much to embrace him and be embraced. Yet after the manner of Pan and the nymph Syrinx or Apollo and the river-maiden Daphne did Love cheat the maiden Alexa. For James Bear in no way desired her love, but wished only to disport himself with thundering engine which they call "vakyum" in their tongue. And Alexa burned with love, and entreated James Bear that he might hold her hand or embrace her and offer kisses, but he only looked upon his vakyum and paid her no heed. And even when the maiden Alexa seized him and made attempt to kiss his brow, even then would James Bear, son of R. Dudlius, not look upon her, but was only minded to hold his vakyum.

Exodus

And it came in those days that R. Dudlius dismissed his musicians and played no longer with the great orchestras, nor did he rise early in the morning nor drive his hollow-bellied neon, but he made a great rest in his home and took refreshment. And his wife also rested and so did James Bear, the son of R. Dudlius, although he rested in no wise to the whims of his parents, for he was always minded to be outside and in the grass and slime. And the corn grew tall and sun waxed hot overhead, and it was summer, and R. Dudlius took much refreshment.

And in the eighth month of the sixth year of the rule of one whose name means "blessing," R. Dudlius met J. of Raschella in a far journey, and he enticed him with poor enticement to take an oath to sound his trumpet in places far to the East, beyond many lakes and much further than any man should walk on a day, and even further than a horse might ride, but only where the subtle engines might go and come back because of their quickness.

And R. Dudlius said to his wife "Woe unto us, for I have sworn a heavy oath that I should sound the trumpet far in places far to the East, and only poor enticement is my reward! I cannot make my journeys on foot or horse, but I must drive our subtle engines, yet these also are of evil quality, and they always devise to work against us their tricks and wiles."

And his wife said to him "You have taken poor enticement indeed to sound your trumpet, for you are much skilled in its playing, yet your wages are as that of an unskilled servant. We must make our dwelling to the east, although I too must drive our subtle engines to the west among the homes of your kin."

And R. Dudlius asked his wife "Wherefore must you drive subtle engines among the homes of my kinsmen?"

And his wife answered to him "A priest has bidden me to sing among the halls where long ago we met, before you married me and before we journeyed to the south."

And R. Dudlius said to his wife "If I must make my way to the East beyond many lakes and you must make your way west to the halls wherein we met before you grew heavy with child, we must find a suitable place to dwell between."

And his wife made him swear with great fear never again to say "grew heavy with child," and she told him of the wages she would be paid, which were far better than his own, and they searched for many days to find suitable habitation, nor did they sleep on their bed, for their worries were great and the sun had waxed hot even through the night, and their habitation had not air conditioning.

And it came also in the eighth month of that year that R. Dudlius found a suitable place between the viae Durobrevis, and they were exceeding glad. The place which R. Dudlius found lay on the eastern slope of Mt. Wegmans, which is the holiest hill in all their land, and its ways are always full with pilgrims, rich merchants, and great men. The name of the place is melitolus, which they say in their own tongue "clover." R. Dudlius was pleased on account of the strong wall, and his wife was pleased on account of the many fine rooms, and James Bear, the son of R. Dudlius, was pleased on account of the great courtyard full of green grass and many stones fit for throwing.

Also in that place was the priest Calvus, son of Thomas, who was the brother of R. Dudlius, son of Thomas, and his wife. And Calvus greeted the tidings of R. Dudlius with gladness, because they had ere yet been many miles away from each other.

And it came that R. Dudlius ascended Mt. Wegmans with his wife and James Bear his son, and James Bear was in a cart with wheels that looked as though he drove a subtle engine, and he was much pleased. And also upon Mt. Wegmans did R. Dudlius' wife drink a cup of much sweet milk, which is called "latte" in their tongue, and she was much pleased. And R. Dudlius beheld the treasury of Mt. Wegmans, which is many fine cheeses and all manner of fruits and sweet smelling vegetables, all ripe and good to eat, along with coffees and chocolates from beyond the salt seas and flowers of exceeding brightness.

And R. Dudlius said to his wife "Look, wife, this is a a fit and suitable place where you might go to the halls of my kinsmen in the west, and I might go beyond the lakes to the east to sound my trumpet."

And R. Dudlius wrote on many papers and sent letters to the masters of this suitable place, and he wrote with much eloquence, for among those people the wages of a musician are base and not to be trusted. And he long waited their answer, and thus passed the eighth month of the sixth year of the rule of the one whose name means "blessed," and in that month that very king traveled by Mt. Wegmans.