My shortening of The Prioress's Tale (From the THE CANTERBURY TALES)

怀抱花朵的孩子

My shortening of The Prioress's Tale

The Prioress's Tale

The tale

In Asia, in a city rich and great, there was a Jewry set amidst the town,established by a rich lord of the state,who won his fortune by usury and some other ill ways.The Jewry was free and open at each end,and in its farther end stood a little school for christian folk,many of which were born of christian blood.These children were taught to read and sing well just like children do of whatsoever creed.

Among these children was a widow's son,seven years old,who was taught by his mother to worship Jesus' Mother and to kneel down and say Ave Maria whenever he her image.

One day while the boys were taught antiphons,he heared and were so attracted by the note of the Alma redemptoris fair that he remembered the first verse by rote. Because the song were written in Latin and he didn’t know what it meant to say,the boy kneeled on his bare knees and bagged an older lad to explain the meaning of the song.But the lad learned Latin not very well and just told him that the song was written to praise and salute the blessed Lady, and ask for help on the day when we die. Heared of these words the boy made up his mind to learn the whole song before Christmas sacrament.So he learned and sang the song on all his schoolward and homeward way.

But those cursed Jewish folk who dwelt in the Jewry felt very furious and unhappy when heared the boy’s singing of O Alma redemptoris, which was against of their religion.They conspired to murder this innocent boy lest not hear his evil singing any more.They found a murderer and made him cut the boy’s throat in a hiding-place and cast him in a cesspool.

The boy’s mother who failed seeing her child’s coming back went out to find him at any place he probably was,and at last was told that her boy was last seen in the Jewry.She kept praying to Christ's Mother till Our Lady brought her to those evil jewish folk,but when she went there and asked them if they ever saw her son,the answers were all negative.The heart-broken mother was hinted by Jesus to cry just beside where his son was casted in.And at the same time the boy, though who was slain and hidden from sight began to sing The Alma redemptoris so loud and clearly that attracted many Christian folk to go there.

These Chritian folk sent for the provost, who binded the Jews and with torture and some other means found and hanged those persons who were involved in the ferocious murder.

The boy’s corpse singing the song, honoured by a great concourse of men was taken to an abbey near.At the sight of her son’s death the widow swooned and died without cure.

When the holy water was daubed on his head before the abbot and the monks closed the coffin, the boy speaked and sang, O Alma redemptoris mater! The abbot asked the boy why he can speak and sing whereas his throat was cut.The boy told that when he was dying the holy Lady came to him and bade him to only sing the anthem in the pain of his dying,after he did what the Lady asked him, the Lady laid a precious pearl upon his tongue, Wherefore he sang,and told him that when the pearl was token from his tongue he will not sing and get his real peace and justice.The abbot found the tongue and took away the gain while the boy gived up the ghost.The abbot who was  moved by this miracle humbly felt prone upon the ground and all the monks lay there on the pavement,weeping and praising Jesus' Mother dear.

And after that they get up and puted the martyr in a tomb of marble.

The original text:
The Prioress's Tale

1   In Asia, in a city rich and great  
2   There was a Jewry set amidst the town,  
3   Established by a rich lord of the state  
4   For usury and gain of ill renown,                     
5   Hateful to Christ and those who are His own;  
6   And through that street a man might ride or wend,  
7   For it was free and open at each end.  
8   A little school for Christian folk there stood,  
9   Down at the farther end, in which there were  
10   A many children born of Christian blood,  
11   Who learned in that same school, year after year,  
12   Such teachings as with men were current there,  
13   Which is to say, to sing well and to read,  
14   As children do of whatsoever creed.  
15   Among these children was a widow's son,  
16   A little choir boy, seven years of age,  
17   Who went to school as days passed one by one,  
18   And who, whenever saw he the image  
19   Of Jesus' Mother, it was his usage,  
20   As he'd been taught, to kneel down there and say  
21   Ave Maria, ere he went his way.  
22   Thus had this widow her small son well taught  
23   Our Blessed Lady, Jesus' Mother dear,  
24   To worship always, and he ne'er forgot,  
25   For simple child learns easily and clear;  
26   But ever, when I muse on matters here,  
27   Saint Nicholas stands aye in my presence,  
28   For he, when young, did do Christ reverence.  
29   This little child, his little lesson learning,  
30   Sat at his primer in the school, and there,  
31   While boys were taught the antiphons, kept turning,  
32   And heard the Alma redemptoris fair,  
33   And drew as near as ever he did dare,  
34   Marking the words, remembering every note,  
35   Until the first verse he could sing by rote.  
36   He knew not what this Latin meant to say,  
37   Being so young and of such tender age,  
38   But once a young school-comrade did he pray  
39   To expound to him the song in his language,  
40   Or tell him why the song was in usage;  
41   Asking the boy the meaning of the song,  
42   On his bare knees he begged him well and long.  
43   His fellow was an older lad than he,  
44   And answered thus: This song, as I've heard say,  
45   Was made to praise Our Blessed Lady free,  
46   Her to salute and ever Her to pray  
47   To be our help when comes our dying day.  
48   I can expound to you only so far;  
49   I've learned the song; I know but small grammar.  
50   And is this song made in all reverence  
51   Of Jesus' Mother? asked this innocent;  
52   Now truly I will work with diligence  
53   To learn it all ere Christmas sacrament,  
54   Though for my primer I take punishment  
55   And though I'm beaten thrice within the hour,  
56   Yet will I learn it by Our Lady's power!  
57   His fellow taught him on their homeward way  
58   Until he learned the antiphon by rote.  
59   Then clear and bold he sang it day by day,  
60   Each word according with its proper note;  
61   And twice each day it welled from out his throat,  
62   As schoolward went he and as homeward went;  
63   On Jesus' Mother was his fixed intent.  
64   As I have said, as through the Jewry went  
65   This little school-boy, out the song would ring,  
66   And joyously the notes he upward sent;  
67   O Alma redemptoris would he sing;  
68   To his heart's core it did the sweetness bring  
69   Of Christ's dear Mother, and, to Her to pray,  
70   He could not keep from singing on his way.  
71   Our primal foe, the serpent Sathanas,  
72   Who has in Jewish heart his hornets' nest,  
73   Swelled arrogantly: O Jewish folk, alas!  
74   Is it to you a good thing, and the best,  
75   That such a boy walks here, without protest,  
76   In your despite and doing such offense  
77   Against the teachings that you reverence?  
78   From that time forth the Jewish folk conspired  
79   Out of the world this innocent to chase;  
80   A murderer they found, and thereto hired,  
81   Who in an alley had a hiding-place;  
82   And as the child went by at sober pace,  
83   This cursed Jew did seize and hold him fast,  
84   And cut his throat, and in a pit him cast.  
85   I say, that in a cesspool him they threw,  
86   Wherein these Jews did empty their entrails.  
87   O cursed folk of Herod, born anew,  
88   How can you think your ill intent avails?  
89   Murder will out, 'tis sure, nor ever fails,  
90   And chiefly when God's honour vengeance needs.  
91   The blood cries out upon your cursed deeds.  
92   O martyr firm in thy virginity,  
93   Now mayest thou sing, and ever follow on  
94   The pure white Lamb Celestial- quoth she-  
95   Whereof the great evangelist, Saint John,  
96   In Patmos wrote, saying that they are gone  
97   Before the Lamb, singing a song that's new,  
98   And virgins all, who never woman knew.  
99   This widow poor awaited all that night  
100   Her child's return to her, but be came not;  
101   For which, so soon as it was full daylight,  
102   With pale face full of dread, and busy thought,  
103   At school she sought and everywhere she sought,  
104   Until, at last, from all her questioning she  
105   Learned that he last was seen in the Jewry.  
106   With mother's pity in her breast enclosed  
107   She ran, as she were half out of her mind,  
108   To every place where it might be supposed,  
109   In likelihood, that she her son should find;  
110   And ever on Christ's Mother meek and kind  
111   She called until, at last, Our Lady wrought  
112   That amongst the cursed Jews the widow sought.  
113   She asked and she implored, all piteously,  
114   Of every Jew who dwelt in that foul place,  
115   To tell her where her little child could be.  
116   They answered Nay. But Jesus, of His grace,  
117   Put in her mind, within a little space,  
118   That after him in that same spot she cried  
119   Where he'd been cast in it, or near beside.  
120   O Thou great God, Who innocents hast called  
121   To give Thee praise, now shown is Thy great might!  
122   This gem of chastity, this emerald,  
123   Of martyrdom the ruby clear and bright,  
124   Began, though slain and hidden there from sight,  
125   The Alma redemptoris loud to sing,  
126   So clear that all the neighbourhood did ring.  
127   The Christian folk that through the ghetto went  
128   Came running for the wonder of this thing,  
129   And hastily they for the provost sent;  
130   He also came without long tarrying,  
131   And gave Christ thanks, Who is of Heaven King,  
132   And, too, His Mother, honour of mankind;  
133   And after that the Jews there did he bind.  
134   This child, with piteous lamentation, then  
135   Was taken up, singing his song alway;  
136   And, honoured by a great concourse of men,  
137   Carried within an abbey near, that day.  
138   Swooning, his mother by the black bier lay,  
139   Nor easily could people who were there  
140   This second Rachel carry from the bier.  
141   With torture and with shameful death, each one,  
142   The provost did these cursed Hebrews serve  
143   Who of the murder knew, and that anon;  
144   From justice to the villains he'd not swerve.  
145   Evil shall have what evil does deserve.  
146   And therefore, with wild horses, did he draw,  
147   And after hang, their bodies, all by law.  
148   Upon the bier lay this poor innocent  
149   Before the altar, while the mass did last,  
150   And after that the abbot and monks went  
151   About the coffin for to close it fast;  
152   But when the holy water they did cast,  
153   Then spoke the child, at touch of holy water,  
154   And sang, O Alma redemptoris mater!  
155   This abbot, who was a right holy man,  
156   As all monks are, or as they ought to be,  
157   The dead young boy to conjure then began,  
158   Saying: O dear child, I do beg of thee,  
159   By virtue of the Holy Trinity,  
160   Tell me how it can be that thou dost sing  
161   After thy throat is cut, to all seeming?  
162   My throat is cut unto the spinal bone,  
163   Replied the child. By nature of my kind  
164   I should have died, aye, many hours agone,  
165   But Jesus Christ, as you in books shall find,  
166   Wills that His glory last in human mind;  
167   Thus for the honour of His Mother dear,  
168   Still may I sing 'O Alma' loud and clear.  
169   This well of mercy, Jesus' Mother sweet,  
170   I always loved, after poor knowing;  
171   And when came time that I my death must meet,  
172   She came to me and bade me only sing  
173   This anthem in the pain of my dying,  
174   As you have heard, and after I had sung,  
175   She laid a precious pearl upon my tongue.  
176   Wherefore I sing, and sing I must, 'tis plain,  
177   In honour of that blessed Maiden free,  
178   Till from my tongue is taken away the grain;  
179   And afterward she said thus unto me:  
180   'My little child, soon will I come for thee,  
181   When from thy tongue the little bead they take;  
182   Be not afraid, thee I will not forsake.'  
183   The holy monk, this abbot, so say I,  
184   The tongue caught out and took away the grain,  
185   And he gave up the ghost, then, easily,  
186   And when the abbot saw this wonder plain,  
187   The salt tears trickled down his cheeks like rain,  
188   And humbly be fell prone upon the ground,  
189   Lying there still as if he had been bound.  
190   And all the monks lay there on the pavement,  
191   Weeping and praising Jesus' Mother dear,  
192   And after that they rose and forth they went,  
193   Taking away this martyr from his bier,  
194   And in a tomb of marble, carved and clear,  
195   Did they enclose his little body sweet;  
196   Where he is now- grant us him to meet!  
197   O you young Hugh of Lincoln, slain also  
198   By cursed Jews, as is well known to all,  
199   Since it was but a little while ago,  
200   Pray you for us, sinful and weak, who call,  
201   That, of His mercy, God will still let fall  
202   Something of grace, and mercy multiply,  
203   For reverence of His Mother dear on high. Amen.

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