The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 125 (Color Image)

0125	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

CHAP. L. DEVIL-CONJURORS 87

abundantly spiced.10 Moreover it shall be announced

that the sheep must be all black-faced, or of some other

particular colour as it may hap ; and then all those things

are to- be offered in sacrifice to such and such a spirit

whose name is given.11 And they are to bring so many

conjurors, and so many ladies, and the business is to be

done with a great singing of lauds, and with many lights,

and store of good perfumes. That is the sort of answer

they get if the patient is to get well. And then the

kinsfolk of the sick man go and procure all that has

been commanded, and do as has been bidden, and

the conjuror who had uttered all that gets on his legs

again.

So they fetch the sheep of the colour prescribed, and

slaughter them, and sprinkle the blood over such places

as have been enjoined, in honour and propitiation of the

spirit. And the conjurors come, and the ladies, in the

number that was ordered, and when all are assembled

and everything is ready, they begin to dance and play

and sing in honour of the spirit. And they take flesh-

broth and drink and lign-aloes, and a great number of

lights, and go about hither and thither, scattering the

broth and the drink and the meat also. And when they

have done this for a while, again shall one of the con-

jurors fall flat and wallow there foaming at the mouth,

and then the others will ask if he have yet pardoned the

sick man ? And sometimes he shall answer yea ! and

sometimes he shall answer no ! And if the answer be no,

they shall be told that something or other has to be done

all over again, and then he will be pardoned ; so this

they do. And when all that the spirit has commanded

has been done with great ceremony, then it shall be

announced that the man is pardoned and shall be

speedily cured. So when they at length receive such

a reply, they announce that it is all made up with the

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