The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus
The Seven Sleepers has some deep links in Ars Magica lore., because an Infernal variant of them appears in Tribunals of Hermes: Rome. The Islamic version of this story has a sleeping dog that guards the door of the cave, which has made its way to Goethe. That character entered Sicilian folklore, which was briefly an emirate. He’s called Kytmyr in Sicilian and that could be the name by which he is known in the Order. The relics of the Sleepers are believed to have been scrounged up during the Crusades and are now in Marseilles. That wrecks the idea they are still sleeping, and waiting for judgement or some other responsibility, which seems stronger for game purposes.
Six young men of Caesar’s household
Fled before their master’s anger ;
As a god he claim’d their worship,
Though a sorry god was he.
For an insect, ever buzzing.
Still annoy’d him at the banquet,
Still disturb’d his rest and pleasure.
All the chasing of his servants
Could not drive away the torment.
Ever round the head of Caesar
Did the angry creature hover.
Threatening with its poison’d sting
Still it flew, and swiftly circling
Made confusion at the table.
Messenger of Baalzebub,
The infernal Lord of flies.
” Ha ! “— So spake the youths together
” He a God that fears an insect
Can a God be thus molested ?
Does a God, like wretched mortals,
Feast and revel at the banquet?
Nay ! to Him, the one, the only,
Who the sun and moon created,
Who hath made the stars in glory,
Shall we henceforth bend the knee ! “
So they spake, and left the palace,
Left it in their trim apparel
By a shepherd led, they hasten’d
To a cave was in the mountain,
And they all went gliding in.
And the shepherd’s dog came after,
Though they strove to drive him from them
Thrust himself toward his master,
Licked their hands in dumb entreaty,
That he might remain their fellow
And lay down with them to sleep.
But the wrath of Caesar kindled,
When he knew that they had left him
All his former love departed,
All his thought was vengeance only.
Out in quest he sent his people,
Traced them to the mountain-hollow.
Not to fire nor sword he doom’d them
But he bade great stones be lifted
To the entrance of the cavern
Saw it fasten’d up with mortar
And so left them in their tomb.
But the youths lay calmly sleeping
And the angel, their protector.
Spake before the throne of glory
” I have watch’d beside the sleepers.
Made them turn in slumber ever,
That the damps of yonder cavern
Should not cramp their youthful limbs
And the rocks around I’ve open’d.
That the sun at rising, setting,
May give freshness to their cheeks.
So they lie in rest and quiet.
In the bliss of happy dreams.”
So they lay ; and still, beside them.
Lay the dog in peaceful slumber,
Never whimpering in his sleep.
Years came on, and years departed
Till at last the young men waken’d
And the wall, so strongly fasten’d,
Now had fallen into ruin,
Crumbled by the touch of ages.
Then lamblichus, the youngest,
And the goodliest of them all.
Seeing that the shepherd trembled,
Said, ” I pray you now, my brothers.
Let me go to seek provision
I have gold, my life I’ll venture,
Tarry till I bring you bread.”
Ephesus, that noble city.
Then, for many a year, had yielded
To the faith of the Redeemer,
Jesus. (Glory to his name !)
And he ran unto the city
At the gate were many warders.
Armed men on tower and turret,
But he pass’d them all unchalleng’d
To the nearest baker’s went he,
And in haste demanded bread.
” Ha ! young rogue,” exclaimed the baker.
” Surely thou hast found a treasure
That old piece of gold betrays thee
Give me, or I shall denounce thee,
Half the treasure thou hast found.”
And lamblichus denied it
But the baker would not listen,
Brawling till the watch came forward.
To the king they both were taken
And the monarch, like the baker.
But a higher right asserting,
Claim’d to share the treasure too.
But at last the wondrous story,
Which the young man told the monarch,
Proved itself by many tokens.
Lord was he of that same palace,
Whither he was brought for judgment
For he show’d to them a pillar.
In the which, a stone when loosen’d
Led unto a treasure chamber,
Heap’d with gold and costly jewels.
Straightway came in haste his kindred,
All his clan came thronging round him,
Eager to advance their claim
Each was nearer than the other.
And lamblichus, the blooming,
Young in face, and form, and feature,
Stood an ancestor among them.
All bewilder’d heard he legends
Of his son and of his grandsons.
Fathers of the men before him.
So amazed he stood and listen’d,
Patriarch in his early manhood
While the crowd around him gather’d.
Stalwart men, and mighty captains.
Him, the youngest, to acknowledge
As the founder of their race
And one token with another
Made assurance doubly certain
None could doubt the wondrous story
Of himself and of his comrades.
Shortly, to the cave returning,
King and people all go with him,
And they saw him enter in.
But no more to king or people,
Did the Chosen reappear.
For the Seven, who long had tarried
Nay, but they were eight in number.
For the faithful dog was with them
Thenceforth from the world were sunder’d.
The most blessed angel Gabriel,
By the will of God Almighty,
Walling up the cave for ever.
Led them unto Paradise.
The False Lover
It was a gallant wild and free,
From France he came, this rover,
And oft a poor young girl had he
Caress’d and sworn to love her.
And fondled her, and press’d, and woo’d.
And toy’d as bridegroom only should.
And in the end forsook her.
And hearing this, that nut-brown maid
Was crazed and broken-hearted
She laugh’d, and wept, and swore, and pray’d,
And so her soul departed.
That hour a horror fell on him,
A crawling terror shook each limb,
And on his horse he bounded.
With bloody spurs and visage pale.
He dash’d on fast and faster,
Now here, now there, up hill, down dale,
But no peace can he master
Seven days, seven nights, he rides amain.
Through lightning, thunder, wind, and rain,
And torrents fierce and swelling.
Through lightning-flash and tempest din
On to a ruin rides he,
Ties up his horse and creeps within.
And from the storm-blast hides he
And as he gropes through darkness grim.
The earth falls inward under him.
And down—down—down, he tumbles.
Reviving from the shock, he sees
Three tapers faintly glancing.
He scrambles after them, but these
Three tapers keep advancing
Sideways, along, up stairs and down.
Through passages long, gaunt, and brown,
And crumbling vaults they lead him.
At once he stands within a hall
Where countless guests are meeting,
Their hollow eyes give one and all
A grim and ghastly greeting
He sees his leman down below,
Array’d in garments white as snow,
She turns —
The Water-Man
A note from the translators: “This ballad cannot be claimed as one of Goethe’s original compositions, it being a very close translation of an old Danish ballad, entitled ” The Mer-man, and Marstig’s Daughter.” As, however, it appears in all the collections, and has often been quoted as a favourable specimen of Goethe’s skill in assuming the simple style of the popular Northern ballads, we have deemed it advisable to give a version.”
” Oh, mother ! rede me well, I pray ;
How shall I woo me yon winsome May ? “
She has built him a horse of the water clear,
The saddle and bridle of sea-sand were.
He has donn’d the garb of a knight so gay,
And to Mary’s Kirk he has ridden away.
He tied his steed to the chancel door,
And he stepp’d round the Kirk three times and four.
He has boune him into the Kirk, and all
Drew near to gaze on him, great and small.
The priest he was standing in the quire ;
” What gay young gallant comes branking here ? “
The winsome maid, to herself said she,
” Oh, were that gay young gallant for me ! “
He stepp’d o’er one stool, he stepp’d o’er two
” Oh, maiden, plight me thine oath so true ! “
He stepp’d o’er three stools, he stepp’d o’er four
” Wilt be mine, sweet May, for evermore ? “
She gave him her hand of the drifted snow
” Here hast thou my troth, and with thee I’ll go.”
They went from the Kirk with the bridal train.
They danced in glee, and they danced full fain
They danced them down to the salt-sea strand,
And they left them standing there, hand in hand.
” Now wait thee, love, with my steed so free,
And the bonniest bark I’ll bring for thee.”
And when they passed to the white, white sand,
The ships came sailing on to the land
But when they were out in the midst of the sound,
Down went they all in the deep profound
Long, long on the shore, when the winds were high.
They heard from the waters the maiden’s cry.
“I rede ye, damsels, as best I can
Tread not the dance with the Water-Man!”
Games From Folktales 