The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 422 (Color Image)

0422	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

366 MARCO POLO Iloox III.

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they say the green leaves have a soul in them, and so it

would be a sin. And they would rather die than do what

they deem their Law pronounces to be sin. If any one

asks how it comes that they are not ashamed to go stark

naked as they do, they say, We go naked because naked

we came into the world, and we desire to have nothing

about us that is of this world. Moreover, we have no

sin of the flesh to be conscious of, and therefore we are

not ashamed of our nakedness, any more than you are

to show your hand or your face. You who are conscious

of the sins of the flesh do well to have shame, and to

cover your nakedness."

They would not kill an animal on any account, not

even a fly, or a flea, or a louse,? or anything in fact that

has life ; for they say these have all souls, and it would

be sin to do so. They eat no vegetable in a green state,

only such as are dry. And they sleep on the ground

stark naked, without a scrap of clothing on them or under

them, so that it is a marvel they don't all die, in place of

living so long as I have told you. They fast every day

in the year, and drink nought but water. And when a

novice has to be received among them they keep him

awhile in their convent, and make him follow their rule

of life. And then, when they desire to put him to the

test, they send for some of those girls who are devoted to

the Idols, and make them try the continence of the novice

with their blandishments. If he remains indifferent they

retain him, but if he shows any emotion they expel him

from their society. For they say they will have no man

of loose desires among them.

They are such cruel and perfidious Idolaters that it

is very devilry ! They say that they burn the bodies of

the dead, because if they were not burnt worms would

be bred which would eat the body ; and when no more

food remained for them these worms would die, and the

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