ader, such as I had before now seen at the town-fair, had made
his way to the Lodge, and the swarthy master, with his two companions,
as it might be his brothers, were like all the men of their tribe. A
thick growth of hair covered the mouth below an eaglenose, and on their
shaggy heads they wore soft red bonnets. One was followed by a tall
camel, slowly marching along with an ape perched on his hump; the other
led a brown bear with a muzzle on his snout.

The master's wife, and a dark-faced young wench, were walking by the
side of a little wagon having two wheels, to which an over-worked mule
was harnessed. A youth, of may-be twelve years of age, blew upon a pipe
for the bear to dance, and inasmuch as he had no clothes but a ragged
little coat, and a sharp east wind was blowing, he quaked with cold and
shivered as he piped. Notwithstanding he was a fine lad, well-grown, and
with a countenance of outlandish but well nigh perfect beauty. He had
come, for certain, from some distant land; yet was he not of the same
race as the others.

When we had seen enough of the show, my uncle commanded that meat should
be brought for the wanderers; and when pease-pottage and other messes
had been given them, they fetched, from under the wagon-tilt, a
swarthy babe, which, meseemed was a sweet little maid albeit she was so
dark-colored.

Ann and I gazed at these folks while they ate, and it seemed strange to
us to see that the well-favored lad put away from him with horror the
bacon which the old bear-leader set before him; and for this the man
dealt him a rude blow.

After their meal the master went on his way; and when we likewise had
eaten our dinner, my dear godfather and uncle, Christian Pfinzing, came
from the town, bringing a troop of mercenaries to the camp where they
were to be trained that they might fight against the Hussites. He, like
the other guests, made friends with the strangers, and in his merry
fashion he bid the older bear leader tell our fortunes by our hands,
while the young ones should dance.

The man then read the future for each of us; my fortune was sheer folly,
whereof no single word ever came true. He promised my brother a Count's
coronet and a wife from a race of princes; and when Ann heard it, and
held up her finger at Herdegen for shame, he whispered in her ear that
she was of the race of the Sovereign Queen of all queens--of Venus,
ruler of the universe. All this she heard gladly; yet could no one
p