When we went to Meriny, I was in Arnisus, where there were still no Christians. There they loved an idol with "Rurespe" as name. He protected the hunters and those who passed by. A young man with the name "Faccumete" went to him. He asked the idol to tell him how he should proceed to become king. But he did not answer him. Then Faccumete went to Serere to kill the one the Merinians call Degnae[1]. And Jehovah wanted Faccumete to be king of the pagans of Arnisus, because he killed the beast. But it bit him on the leg with its trunk, so the young man cut it off from his body and fixed his dumo[2] in the flesh from which his leg grew. And so he returned lame to Rurespe. He asked the idol to tell him how he should proceed to become king. But he did not answer him. Then Faccumete went to the city that the Merinians call "Driquere", where curtars live, to kill the one the Merinians call "Scerscre." But the beast did not want to get out from its burrow. Then Faccumete sent his wife, Tergerubre, to lie with her. And so it was and they lay for three days. And in the third, Tergerubre seduced him and the beast came out and had the body of a man and the head of a rabbit. Then Faccumete attacked it with the dumo and stuck the tip into one of its legs. And the beast, hurt, stuck its rabbit teeth into the shoulder on the other side of the body, compared to the leg it had mutilated. And the wound was filled with blood and dirt, so Faccumete cut off the arm, starting at the elbow. And so he returned lame to Rurespe. He asked the idol to tell him how he should proceed to become king. But he did not answer him. Then Faccumete went to the city that the Merinians call "Dresgerdecep"[3]. There lived some men with waists and bee stings. They received Faccumete, but he wanted to lie with the king's wife, so he sent his soldiers to attack him. And Jehovah wanted Faccumete to be king of the pagans of Arnisus, because he killed all the soldiers, the king and his wife. But one of these stung his only leg with its stinger, so he cut it off from his body and fixed the king's dumo in the place from which it arose. And so he returned to Rurespe. He asked the idol to tell him how he should proceed to become king. And the idol said to him: "Ker uwēθra, rēra Oskērmegrus, krakse taks ugē wērskukerpē, meritse wērskukøm girø; apkkse taks nurkas apktēs girus gis ēnama kēs." Which translates into our language as: "Young brave man, son of Oscermegrus, you have killed the terrible beasts that the Merinians feared; you have done what you had to do to be king." In this way, Rurespe placed Faccumete on the throne of Arnisus.

Then I headed to Lunde. There were few Christians there, and some of these, although they had received Jehovah, still worshiped false gods. One of them was Asvarx, who welcomed me into his house. Asvarx told me that the Symbaians had not founded the city, but that Urmal had founded it. When the idol reached the ground, he saw Garchy[4], who was chasing and devouring the people who lived there, whom the idol called "Sfomirs", because their heads were at the level of his abdomen. These did not speak either the language of the Symbaians or that of the idols, they did not worship these and were too impious. Then, Urmal made branches and plants grow from the stones of their houses and covered them. And he sent Griarox to the Thauchynous, so that he could devour those who tried to escape through the waters. Thus, Garchy devoured the last of the Sfomirs and Urmal brought Carte of Ipharmeler and Gululjabdecy[5] of Targathe to that land. He was the son of Merx and brother of Gigar of Ipharmeler, who was the father of Ulious, who accompanied Dinax. She was the daughter of King Scymaeerc of Targathe and sister of Sveacmoin, who received Dinax to spend the night in his house, when he was going to Cipte to kill Odugnasere. From them two was born Fesous, who was the father of all the Lundaians and the father of all the Daedraians [6]. Then, going to Dutory, I arrived at Ixatciad. There I met Bishop Agroc, who told me about Forhel, at the time when he arrived in the land of the Kirdaians and killed Jabinc[7]. Forhel came from an abominable birth, as he was the son of two brothers, both of the Lumpiceda lineage. But Jehovah wanted Forhel to be great among the Symbaians and he went to Gogor, because he was among the soldiers who repelled the Kirdaians who wanted to enter the city. There, Forhel married Dractortirnay, who was the mother of Dercanidous, of whose lineage he was Unmelertherma. And Agroc told me that Forhel had a son with a Kirdaian when he went to Egmar. He called him "Abalir" and he was a soldier in the army of Kirday. But the army of Erfitumous[8] entered Egmar, imprisoned Abalir and was the leader of the king's army, which conquered Egmar. And Forhel became the general of the Gogorian army[9], because the king had gone as general to Jagrionc. And he went to Omoc, where those who lived there named him saying "Kяmrbers яrxor e", which translated as "He with the stone hands." When they were going there, he saw an oullmunuphus[10], which rose up in front of him and his army, dressed in water in the shape of a large snake. And it said to him: "You, who come from the lands of Dinax, are going to cross through a land where my sons live. What causes your journey?" And Forhel answered her: "Daughter of the gods, I come here because the army of the Kirdaians has crossed the border that separated our cities from theirs and it is my task to bring down the generals who direct this company." But this impious spirit[11] did not respect his kings, so, saying to him: "Strong man, pass by and I will not stop you; but I warn you that if you harm one of my sons who live in this land, when you pass this way again, I will not allow you the way." It let Forhel and his soldiers pass. And, on the road to Omoc, they met a bear, the height of a tree, whose body hindered them. Then Forhel approached him and stuck his head at him to make him move, but the animal headed towards him and attacked them, killing two of his men. Then Forhel stabbed him through the jaw. And he, dying, fell to the ground. When Forhel and his men arrived at Omoc, the son of the sons of Lumpiceda broke the walls of the houses with the strength of his hands[12] and killed many men with his fists, which the Kirdaians do not forget. There he met a jangodus[13], who told him "Your hunger for death has been horrifying to the gods, who take care of men; I know that they will take from you what you took from me; you have been directing many soldiers, but you will return to your land alone." Then Forhel, going towards Gogor, approached the river where that impious spirit lived and it said to him: "Ruin and impious man, I have been favorable to you and you have killed one of my sons with your weapon." Then he raised his arms and threw water towards the soldiers, wetting many of them, whose flesh turned into stone. And Forhel begged Parble to help him and he sent great waves towards the spirit. And the waters carried away the other soldiers of Forhel and one hundred and twenty sons of the spirit. Then, those who were snakes went into the earth, to protect themselves from the waters, and their skins fell off their bodies, stuck in the pebbles[14]. And the spirit protected his greatest sons, raising the forest lands above the waters, molding the mountains where these beasts live. In this way, for having betrayed the promise to that son of Leviathan, Forhel arrived alone in Gogor.

When I returned to Ipharmeler, the pious Father Sphiod received me at the court of our king. Where he read the writings that Lumpicurx had sent him from Targathe. One of them said that, entering the lands of Dercan, the Thunday called Galbidous and said to him: "Good son of Stix, I speak to you because I will enter Ipharmeler with my men and the entrance to this city is forbidden to the Dutorians; I ask you to go to those who do not die, those who live within the castles of the sky, and ask them to protect us, so that we can enter." And the god, accepting the request, went to the Plaerx, where Alery received him, to whom he said: "I have come to you, the most beautiful among the goddesses, because the strongest man in Dutory has reached Ipharmeler and ask the gods for protection, because entry to those of Dutory is prohibited there." And the goddess knew that he was going to look for the girdle that his mother had made for her and, for this reason, she went to Snerx and said to him: "Son of Pleus and Parabas, who clothe the creatures of darkness; I come to you because a Dutorian asked us for protection to enter Ipharmeler, where entry is prohibited, so I ask you to cover his body with the skin of another person from Farte." And the god to the goddess: "Daughter of Styx, your words are good, but these men seek glory for you, but not for me." And the goddess to the god: "Your words are pious; there is your son in Iliphus, in the last city of Parabas; I will take him to one of the Dutorian's men, so that, being killed by his hand, he may give him glory." And, having accepted the request, the god made with the darkness of the night a skin for each man of Dinax and for him. But, after Galbidous had given the skins to Dinax, the goddess dressed the skin of Ulious, went to the Temple[15] of Styx and stole the lid of the treasure[16] from there. Then an ipotcaud who saw her chased her to where Dinax and his men were. There the ipotcaud threw his dumo against Ulious' chest, on the side where the arm that Elutar had torn off was, so he could not stop it and died there. But Dercan recognized Gigar's son and received the body at his court. Dinax, Circchirious and Carte slept there. And, when Ariry looked for Ulious, Orblula entered the bedroom of Goracplija's son and filled his chest with desire for Nardilan, since she was the youngest and most beautiful of those who accompany the one who walks quietly. Then he left his room and followed her to the Aritharche. There Orblula made him sleep and placed a Nordertor pendant on him[17]. Then Carte ascended to sky. There Snerx took him up and covered him with his mantle, so that the son of Goracor would not see him. In it he crossed the ocean of blood to the house of Demure and there Snerx took him down and took him to Iliphus. There Draliccrus found him and took him home to give him shelter. Alery went to that place and destroyed a naram consecrated to Lius[18], throwing the pieces on the ground. When Draliccrus saw them, his chest raged against the son of Goracplija and, taking one of them, he stabbed it into his chest while he was sleeping. Thus, of the one hundred and twenty men who accompanied Dinax in his enterprise, he and Circchirious arrived at Cipte.

And when Saint Arcideus left Phorche, they climbed into the waters of the Traphus and headed towards Dutory, to see Sthalphrous[19], when he still worshiped the false gods, to speak to him about Our Lord Christ. Chelacuthpharicous and Oparherfous, who still worshiped idols, went with him. But this enterprise displeased the Enemy. And they sailed over those waters for a month and saw that from within their bowels a ship emerged, with a light keel and timbers made from seaweed from the sea floor. Next to the helm was the upright body of a dead man, who directed a crew of impious spirits, with the faces of pigs and the legs of mice. And the ship rose above the waters to the sea of ​​blood. Then lightning penetrated the waters, which began to rise and move. And a wave, touching the sky, rose in front of them and its waters parted, revealing wolf fangs, the size of a tree. And the Enemy wanted them to pass through his throat, between octopus tentacles and dolphin spines. And inside the womb, the Saint met the ghost of Elveniapín, of a pagan general from Etcay who was killed by the Tharcaians in Nammale[20], who guided them to the chest of the spirit. There the Saint saw Abraham, who was carrying in his arms a lamb with three eyes[21] and, together at whose feet, three lambs. One with six heads[22], which played with another nine-legged lamb[23], and a third, with eight legs[24], sleeping on the sea floor. And, accompanying Abraham, were Ezekiel, who held a rope, to the other end of which was tied the throat of a white wolf, which held a two-headed lamb between its teeth[25]. And David, who held a rope, to the other end of which was tied the throat of a bear, who held a seven-legged lamb between his teeth[26]. And there the Greek Stephen appeared before them, who went to Chelacuthpharicous and, embracing him, said to him: "Son of the Ipharmelerhians, the Lord of Heaven has decided to give you a destiny of glory."[27] And the waters parted, opening a path between them. And impious spirits passed through the two walls of water, with the bodies of men and the fingers of fish[28]. And at the other end of the road stood the false god Parble, whom the Symbaians asked to protect them when they sailed the seas. But this was not the idol, but an impious spirit, dressed in water skins and Saint Arcideus knew it, but Oparherfous did not know it that way, who turned to his god. Then the spirits rushed at him and, taking him by the arms and feet, tried to take him to the Ithalugav[29]. But the Saint prayed to Our Holy Mother, who had visited him in Ipharmeler[30], and took Oparherfous in his arms, taking him away from the spirits. Then a crowd surrounded him[31] and took him to where the Saint was. And the waters accumulated under the keel, molding a great fish which, lifting the ship, carried it back to the surface and on its way to the shores of Dutory. Then the Saint looked for Agousnosh, the son of Parble and Daly. In spring, the goddess wore a deer skin, to reach the apples from the trees of Kirday; with silver antlers, so that the animals of the forest would recognize her as a deity. But one day Parble saw her, whose breast desired her, and he dressed the skin of a dolphin, who crossed the waters of the Gratoya and threw himself on the goddess, to lie with her. And the goddess fled, but from this union a son was born, with the body of a whale and a long silver horn, which moves above and below the land of Dutory. When the Saint arrived at the coast, he asked Messenger[32] Michael to look for the beast and he accepted his request. And she went to the Saint and told him that she would take him if he gave her food. Then Saint Arcideus prayed to the Father and went to the sea. There he threw a net and a large school entered it. Then Agousnosh accepted the request and took Saint Arcideus, Chelacuthpharicous and Oparherfous to Aethuphar.

There, Saint Arcideus saw the last tribe of vodiacs[33] that lived in Dutory, but one of them saw the crew and approached them, without being seen. He was Isphiasiraerx, who was the youngest son of Chybym. He took the sfarrus[34] that contained all the fish and fled far away. And Chelacuthpharicous and Oparherfous saw him and followed him, but the Enemy did not want Saint Arcideus to reach the destiny that the Lord of Heaven assigned him, so he sent an impious spirit, dressed in the skin of a mosquito, which went to Chelacuthpharicous and bit his chest, instilling in it an impious desire to eat the flesh of his companion, and he left the path they both crossed to the son of the great Philistine[35]. Then, the Saint, seeking an answer from Heaven, entered the forest and there an implacable sleep embraced him and, falling to the ground, the Messenger Gabriel visited him and said to him: "Pious son of the tribe of those of Symbay, I come to you to tell you the Will of the Lord for your life and everything that happens on this earth happens according to what it says. This tribe that has stolen from you is the last among those that serve the Enemy that makes your people suffer. It's destiny is in your hands and, to fulfill it, on your chest will lie a divine weapon, which only pierces the flesh of the impious. From now on, you are protected by the Lord." Then the Saint woke up and a rusca[36] with a silver blade and gold hilt on his chest was the first thing his eyes saw, which carried within it the brilliance of all the stars of the skies. Then he went to Chelacuthpharicous, who was at the end of the forest, with Saint Thiphal of Farte, whom the Lord had sent to Dutory. After being sent by Our Mother, Saint Arcideus went to Telmither and Thiphal, whose pagan name was then Daliapsesve[37], received him in his house. He was the son of Scalerfy, brother of Pleienorx[38]. And the Saint spoke to him of our Faith. But the Telmithrian rejected it three times. Then one day, a hungry wolf, coming out of the woods, entered the city, attacked the cattle and chased the children who were near the wall. The Saint, surrendering to the Grace of the Lord, went to the place where they had seen the wolf. The people observed in amazement and fear the courage of the Christian. When Saint Arcideus arrived at the forest that was next to Telmither, the wolf went before him with the desire to devour him. His eyes were fire that shone like the moon and his fangs were exposed. Then, the Saint, with a serene calm, approached the wolf and, with a firm voice, spoke to the animal, telling him to cease his attack and to submit to the Will of the Lord. The wolf, subdued by divine authority, stopped and tamed and the Saint brought his hand to the head of the animal, which bowed it at the Saint's feet and then entered the darkness of the forest. Seeing this, the people were amazed and the Saint raised his hands to the sky and prayed to the Lord for protection and peace for those of Telmither. Having seen the miracle and moved by the Power and Grace of the Lord, manifested before his eyes, Daliapsesve accepted the truth of the Christian Faith, approached Saint Arcideus and asked to be baptized. And the latter joyfully took him to the bank of the Pocousthey, to mark his head with the waters of the river. Then, the Lord gave Daliapsesve the Christian name of Thiphal and wanted him to be the first to offer his life to serve him, so that he could baptize all the people of Farte[39]. While the three of them were there, Oparherfous saw them and rushed at them. But the Lord sent his Messenger to remove the Saint and his servant from the path of the pagan, and he bit his companion's arm. Then, the Saint threw the blade of his weapon towards his companion and it pierced the flesh of his back, reaching his stomach. And he reached for the other's. There Oparherfous died and there Chelacuthpharicous suffered. And before the Messenger of the Lord came to him, Thiphal baptized him with the waters of Traphus and he confessed him his faults. Then, the blade of the weapon came out of his flesh by its own movement and the companion of the Saint surrendered himself to the Lord of Heaven there.

Then, Saint Thiphal blessed Saint Arcideus' weapon and he raised the hands to the sky and prayed to the Lord to guide his steps to the thief who had taken their food and, having done this, he began to walk, followed by the servant of the Lord of Heaven, while the Messenger of the Lord guided their steps. And these they took to the tribe of the vodiacs, which was in the valley that touches the end of the Enciale river. Then the Saint prayed again to the Lord to help him enter the town. And the Messenger of the Lord gave them, to wear, the Goracor's[40] skin to Saint Arcideus and the Barvus'[41] to the servant, who were the false gods whom the vodiacs served. The pagans say that Durf[42] was the daughter of Athur and Coray. She lay with Goliath and begot Chybym. And Durf was impious and lay with her son, begetting with him all the vodiac. But she had no love and mercy and devoured the eggs of her sons as soon as they came out of her womb. Then one day, when she begot three eggs, her son seduced her and took her to the thalamus, to keep her from them. Then the Philistine took them and took them to the forest and there Melergasce the first was born, Esgirla the second and Isphiasiraerx the third and they lay with the men and women, to spread their tribe through Parthegar. But their mother knew that they were not where she had left them, and she sought them out. So the three brothers prayed to their false gods, and when Goracor and Barvus heard them, their hearts were filled with compassion, and they protected them. The three brothers went to Tauxire[43] to hide themselves, and when the mother went to the mountain, Barvus took the light from her path, so that she would not see them, and Goracor let the rain fall on her, to drive her away, so that Durf left the mountain. So the vodiacs serve these false gods, for they protect them, so that the mother will not find them. Then the Saint and Saint Thiphal entered the village and the vodiacs saw them[44] and, receiving them, Gadaxphal, who was one of them, said to them: "Those who do not die have decided to honor us, for those who protect us since we came have visited the village of their servants. What is your divine will?" And Thiphal said to him: "May Styx take care of you and your tribe and make you live three thousand six hundred years[45]; the reason for our visit is to look for the last son of Durf, for we have received a message from the Plaerx's[46] to deliver to him." And Gadaxphal to him: "My lord, I understand your high words, but that cannot happen now, because my good father[47] has left the village to look for the fire hind[48]." And when night fell on Dutory and the vodiacs slept, Saint Arcideus entered their chambers and, giving himself to the Lord of Heaven, began to thrust the holy weapon into the breasts of the pagans. And he would have killed them all before the night reached its end, but the light of the sun struck the eyes of Gadaxphal and he woke up when the Saint raised the weapon and, stripping the mortal's skin from his face, said to him: "The day of death fell upon all your people and now it is upon you, impious beast. Take advantage of your last moments to give yourself to the only Lord and He will decide whether to forgive you." But pride filled the breast of the vodiac, who said to him: "May Styx punish this abomination, coward. I will not betray the gods who have looked after my people since we have been here." The Saint thrust the weapon into his breast and the Enemy took his soul. Then, bathing his shoulders in the morning light, came the son of the Philistine, carrying in his hands the skin of the female animal he had killed while she was feeding her sons, and called to his people, but they did not answer him. And he saw the saints sitting at the entrance of his house. And he said to them: "You impious idols, have you come to my people to continue enslaving my sons?" And the Saint to him: "You impious thief, you are vile enough to reject even your own false gods. I have come here, in the name of Christ, to put an end to your race, to restore peace to those of Aethuphar." And having said this, he threw the blade of the holy weapon at the breast of the vodiac, but it recoiled, without touching his skin, and it fell to the ground. After this the servant said to Saint Arcideus: "Son of Pleienorx, my breast is filled with sorrow to have to tell you that he will not be able to die by your weapon, for he accepted the true Faith and is a Christian." Then the vodiac raised the weapon in his hand and tried to cut the neck of the servant of the Lord, but it recoiled again and he fell to the ground. But the Enemy seduced Saint Thiphal and, losing confidence in the Lord, his breast was filled with fear of death. And seeing this, the vodiac threw the female animal's skin over his shoulders, which turned into bright flames, which covered and devoured the Saint. But he repented at the last moment of his life and the Messenger of the Lord took him. Then the Saint said: "You are a Christian, but a new and inexperienced Christian, because you do not know that what you did is an abomination before the Lord." And having said this, he raised his weapon and thrust it into the impious chest and the soul and life of Isphiasiraerx escaped through the wound. Then the Saint took the fishes which the vodiac had stolen from them and offered them to the Lord, that He might receive his servant into His Glory. And, raising his hands to the sky beside the body of the vodiac, he prayed thus: "Dear Father, Lord of hosts, to your Glory I give this victory over the last pagans. But your Son was the one who taught us your Mercy. For this reason I give you the soul of this young Christian[49], who sinned not through malice, but through ignorance of your Law, so that You may decide whether to grant him your forgiveness." And having said this, the Saint turned to Psicul.

At that moment he saw Isphiasiraerx's mother sitting on the river bank, raising handfuls of water with her hands. And he went to her and said: "May the Lord bless you and protect you, good woman. I see you here alone and sad and I must ask you what is the reason for your sorrows." And she to him: "Young man, may the gods protect you, although they have abandoned me. Know that there is neither sorrow nor joy within my chest, for it is empty. In a year now old I gave birth to many sons who were the pride of my breast, but these were impious and caused much harm to those of Aethuphar. And the pain with which my breast was filled was too big for it, so, opening it with my hands, I tore out its heart, threw it away from me and it fell into the river." And, opening her clothes, the woman showed him the empty hole in her chest. And the Saint to her: "My chest has been moved by your words and the sorrows that pursue you are sufficient punishment for your idolatry. And, if the Lord of Heaven wants to forgive you, he will make me find your heart among the waters." And having said this, he raised his hands to the sky, prayed to the Lord, and threw himself into the waters. There he found an animal whose appearance was not within divine nature. This was a very large skull, with fiery eyes and crab legs and claws. And he said to the Saint: "Pious son of Pleienorx, your visit honours me. You do not know me. My name is Atarous. I am the beast of Farte that eats men. What is the reason why you are here?" And the Saint to him: "Great beast, may the Lord reward you for your hospitality. I have come here seeking the heart of a mother, who has thrown it here because of grief." And the beast to him: "I do not know the woman you speak of, but I know a heart that has fallen here. After a Tajan killed my body at Farte[50], my head fell into the waters of the Asthey and these carried it to the waters of the Edulio; and those of the Edulio carried it to the waters of the Traphus; and those of the Traphus carried it to the waters of the Enciale. Here I saw a heart fall, stained with sadness, and I devoured it. And my eyes lit up again and these legs and these claws arose from me, because a new blood flowed again within me." Then the Saint knew that the heart of which the beast spoke was that of the woman, and taking his weapon in his hand, he hurled it at the skull, which broke into two parts, and within it was the heart, which he brought to where the woman was. And he took the divine weapon in his hand, saying: "If the Lord has forgiven you, this heart is now Christian." And he tried to pierce it with it, but his blade recoiled. Then he raised it to the sky, and, praying the Lord to bless it, he placed it within the hollow of the woman's breast, who, after this, raised her hands to the sky, saying: "Blessed be you, good Father. Your forgiveness has saved me, through the hand of this pious servant of yours." And, having said this, the woman went with the Saint, on her way to Psicul. And, arriving at the city, the Saint saw Sthalphrous being pursued by a very large eagle[51], shaped from winds, whose wings were composed and decomposed, sending forth violent gusts that made the kesnes[52] totter and lifted the animals from the streets. Then, the Saint, seeing the beast, knew that it was an impious spirit, sent by the Enemy, and going to his chariot, he took the sail of his ship and ordered Oparcydry to pull the end of one of the ropes, while he pulled the end of the other. The sail, resplendent with a divine light, unfolded to a size three times larger than his own. Then, Saint Arcideus and Oparcydry entered the storm and the force of the sail caught the winds of the eagle in a relentless movement, while its cries of fury were drowned in a resounding thunder and, with his forces exhausted by fighting in vain against the Power of Heaven, it dissolved into a single wind. Seeing that the Saint had freed his people and brought his daughter to the city, Sthalphrous fell on his knees at the feet of Saint Arcideus, shed tears, and with an act of gratitude accepted the true Faith that his daughter had accepted and asked to be baptized. Then Saint Arcideus took him to the waters of the Tantulinderty and there baptized the king and all the inhabitants of Psicul. And Saint Arcideus said: "From today, Dutory will be all Christian" and the water in his hands fell on the sands of the sun, making them holy[53].

When I returned to Ifármeler, I met King Editous[54], who allowed me to stay at his court, for he was a Christian then, and he told me the life of the sons of Astar, to whom those of Parthegar brought offerings when they went to Anathy.

The forests that surround the walls of Anathy are cold and dark, and within them live the souls that Goracor made from his skin and hair. Some are smaller than men and others are larger than trees, and all can harm or kill men. But Astar did not fear them and entered the forest that was next to the base of the Xilarcanes, together with Borcaud and Scige, his sons. Sciga was young and very beautiful, so that one of them saw her and her breast was filled with desire. Then she dressed in the skin of a beautiful arcer[55] and approached the twins, when their father had gone away from them looking for acorns. Then, with soft steps on a floor of dry leaves, he addressed the young woman and his voice broke the air, saying:

-Why does Stix allow two young people to wander alone in the shadows of these cruel woods? - Scige, whose face was white from the cold, but was luminous, like the sun reflected on the snow, looked at him. Although the stories their mother told them warned them about the dangers of the souls that live inside the forest, the beauty of the arcer caught her irremediably and the divine light that surrounded the strange visitor filled her heart with desire.

-Good man, may the gods guide your steps to good end! We are the two sons of Astar, the bravest man of Anathy- she said with a trembling voice. The arcer showed her a look, made of wisdom and divine power, which was unlike any she had seen before. His eyes locked with those of the young woman and he said to her:

-I understand that you are the daughter of Astar of Anathy, for your beauty is as great as the greatest I have seen. Then, Borcaud asked him:

-What are you looking for in these woods, arcer? Our father has come here, looking for the fruits of Parabas and will be willing to help you with whatever you need.

The arcer did not look at the young nobleman and said to Scige:

-Daughter of the snow forest, you carry within you[56] the divine light of the stars. That is a gift that the gods give to few mortals. If you so wish, I will take you to their home, where you can find what your heart truly seeks, far from what is in this world.

Scige could not resist these words and the desire that had grown larger within her chest turned into a burning flame. She took a step forward and, without looking back, accepted the arcer's invitation.

-I'm going with you - she said in a light voice, while his eyes shone.

And Borcaud tried to stop his sister, but she had crossed the invisible line between the forest and the garden of the Plaerx. The arcer extended his hand towards her and the young woman was lifted up. With her last breath, Scige disappeared into the shadows, carried away by the being that had captured her. Borcaud tried to follow her, but the forest stopped him, its roots emerging from the ground and imprisoning him. The last vision he had of his sister was her face illuminated by a strange light, while her body vanished into the mists. Scige, transformed into a goddess, floated in the air, her figure luminous like a sun in the mist of the forest. When the arcer touched her, her mortal form vanished, leaving behind only divine light. Her hair, which had been dark as night, shone like the dawn and her beautiful clothes were transformed into a cloak of gold. But when the soul had claimed her completely and all that was mortal had fallen to the ground, her hair and her dress fell to the ground, beside Borcaud, who kept them in his stasir[57]. The forest seemed to whisper around Borcaud and the cracking of leaves under his feet resounded.

On the way back, Borcaud met his father, who said to him, surprised:

-Son, dear to my heart, I have returned from my enterprise and have found many acorns to take to the stone of the dead ones[58]. I see you here, next to me, but I do not see your sister. Tell me, do you know where she is? And Borcaud to Astar:

-Noble father! I see what you say. Knows that Scige has advanced her steps and is going towards home. And Astar to Borcaud:

-Son, how could you let her make that journey alone?! You two are too young to face the beasts that live in this forest alone, and besides, the woman is not as strong and cunning as the man.

So they went towards the house, the father expecting to find his daughter on the road, and before they reached the threshold, Borcaud left his father's path and, going behind a tree, took out the clothes and hair that he had kept inside the sash and placed them on his head. Then he undressed and, taking out his sister's dress, put it on and went to where the father was and said to him:

-Dear father, I see that you have returned! My heart missed you. My brother has walked faster than you and now finds himself in the spolphy[59].

And so did Borcaud during all his youthful years, showing himself to his father when he sought him and dressing like Scige when he sought her. After becoming an adult, Borcaud, emulating Scige, was married to Tantorguth of Balthyre. This was the son of Licy the Miusory, the daughter of Dicar the Miusory. She was to be married to Agaelven of Miusory, a nobleman of her father's court. And she went to the son of Dalx[60], to have him make a faproc[61] of gold. But when she arrived at the forge, her eyes and those of the god collided and their breasts filled with desire. The two lay, and from their union Tantorguth was born. And Agaelven sought to kill Licy for her injury, but Phojaegrous knew of it and threw him from his horse, hurling his hammer at his forehead. On the first night of bed Tantorguth stripped Borcaud's chest and saw that it was a man's chest. Then he took the candle that filled the room with light and with it he inflamed his eyes. Borcaud came screaming out of the hearth and his sister heard him, whose breast filled with compassion and, knowing what her brother had done to hide her flight, she put out the fire in his eyes, which could not see then, so she enlarged his ears, so that he could hear twice as much as men hear; she enlarged his fangs, so that he could dig them into flesh twice as hard as men dig them; she covered his body with hair, so that he could endure the cold twice as much as men endure it; and, lengthening the skin of his arms, she joined the skin of his legs, so that he could rise twice as high as the tops of trees rise[62].

THE HOLY PIRATE

In Ipharmeler, I saw Bishop Gradarencialous, who received me in the chapel and recounted to me the life and deeds of the saint of this land, whom the Lord of Heaven made into an evil thief[63], so that I could transform his words into letters. He said to me:

»The paths in which the Lord places his sons and the way in which he weaves events are too great for our understanding to contain, for he loves even his cruelest sons.

»On a night of starfire, the people of Ipharmeler had seen, under the sky that flew over the Edulio, some sails of the Tharcaians, which were heading towards their beach. The women of the villages near the wall entered the houses, carrying their children, but this did not help them, because the pirates[64] went down to the beach, killed the soldiers, crossed the wall and entered the houses, killing them and the fruit that the Lord had placed in their entrails. In Ipharmeler there was a pious woman, Cangrirhus, who went to the church, to join the deacons who protected it. And among the pirates there was a Symbaian, whose hair (was) like the sun, for which reason the people of Ipharmeler knew him as Dromodoy[65], who killed three deacons and entered the chapel. There he saw upon the altar[66] Cangrirhus, his mother, and she said to him: "Dromodoy, let not your foot tread any more ground towards me! I gave birth to you by the grace of God, and He cared for you in my arms and made you free; but you, scorning this love[67] of mine and the Lord's, cowardly obey the commands of your captors, who have enslaved you; kill me, if that be the price of peace in your breast, but your impious feet shall not tread this altar, upon which we baptized you." When Dromodoy heard these words, his feet did not advance towards her, but on the contrary, they headed towards the portal of the chapel, and running swiftly, he fled from the church and from Ipharmeler, without seeing behind him the flames that covered the holy building and devoured his mother. The other pirates did not see him; they thought he had died inside the chapel, shot by some priest. Taking off his thenacay[68], he entered one of the woods hidden far from the wall. There was a priest, Agajapsaesve, who had gone there to collect wood. He saw him and spoke to him with these kind words: "May the Father in Heaven protect you, young man; I see from your clothes that you came here to carry out the work of the Enemy, but the Will of the Lord made you flee from it." And, having said this, he offered him food and water.

»And Dromodoy[69] said to him: "Elder, may Nergmus look after you and make you live long; know that I came from Tantulimalte; there are Christian Symbaians, Symbaians who worship the pantheon of Symbay and Symbaians who worship the pantheon of Tharcay; but divine power[70] does not govern them, for no Symbaian abhors the feet of Tharcaians walking on their lands, if their heads remain attached to their necks; some of them fight with the Tharcaians and kill Symbaians and Merinians, others hide within the woods that are by the sides of the roads, to attack those who cross them and others get on ships from Tharcay and go to the lands of the Christians, to plunder the cities and set them on fire. I (come) from these. When I was a child, I lived under the protection of my mother in Ipharmeler; my father converted In a rusccaud[71] of Slatiel, he went to Tantulimalte, to fight the armies of Egbarile, and one black day the news came from there that he had died on the field of battle; but on another black day, a ship led by pirates from Sotir arrived at the city, they killed the soldiers on the beaches and entered the houses; one of them entered the house where we two were and took me as a captive, heedless of my mother's tears and cries; this man spoke in Symbaian words, but not those spoken by Christians; he took me to the ship and it left the port of Ipharmeler, cutting off the waters of the Edulio. The name of this man was Epmarblurx and, as soon as land was no longer in sight, he tied me to the sail and beat me until my strength left me. For five years I was a slave to these Symbaians and they forced me to clean the floors of the ship and prepare food for the pirates, until one white day the sky and the ship landed on the beaches of Xamesy. The marines went to Rhibacarous[72] and returned taking Oparhiathelous as a prisoner, who was the son of the Celbal[73] Lumpixgolous. They treated him with more love than me, for he was a pagan like them. But he loved me, even though I was a Christian, and he treated me like his brother. Then, the pirates taught him fishing, fighting, murder, and theft, and he was the bravest thief among them. Then, the captain, Arxaer, offered him a favor as payment for his good work, and Oparhiathelous asked him to free me and make me a pirate. The captain accepted, they cut the ropes that tied my feet and taught me murder and theft, and the son of the Celbal told me about the gods of the Symbaians and the tributes to them. Then, I abandoned the Faith to yours and offered myself to the government of those of Plaerx. When I reached the fullness of age, The ship sailed to Oterde, and there we killed many Merinians who worshipped the gods of the Merinians. We sacked the city. I entered the Smucphy[74] to Ruspenus and set it on fire. We sacked and killed many Christian Symbaians and many pagan Symbaians, and we killed many Christian Merinians and many pagan Merinians, and we took many women and children prisoners. We went to the coasts of Inte, and there the captain offered the crew to General Scelbosatides to be his soldiers and fight against the Christians in the valley that divides the wall of the Xilarcans. And so we did. Twenty-four[75] of us were killed by Symbaian erfis[76], but sixty[77] Symbaians were killed by my erfi. Then we boarded Scelbosatides' ship, which headed toward Lunde, and a Merinian ship, led by Etestarere, a Christian born in Anoce, placed itself between us and our destination. The stones, hurled by our ballistae[78], struck their masts and our arrows set fire to their sails, like the arrows of Dalx, and we boarded the ship, upon which we threw the dead bodies of all their uscums[79]. Etestarere died by the sheer force of Arxaer. Twenty-four[80] of the marines from our ship died, and with them, all the prisoners. Then one dark day, Epmarblurx told the captain that he wanted to subdue the city he had failed to burn when he was young, Ipharmeler, in order to gather more prisoners. The captain then agreed, and a month later, we headed here. Then we went down to the beach, killed the soldiers there, entered the houses, cut the throats[81] of women and children, and went to the church. There was a wall of deacons. I was able to cross it, handing three deacons over to Caiphe[82], and entered the chapel. There I saw my mother on the altar, and I headed towards she told me not to go any further and that my impious feet would not tread on that altar upon which I was baptized. Pain and fear seized my breast, and I ran out of the church and beyond the walls, towards this forest and to you."

»Then, offering him some more water, the pious man said: "I hear among your words the hatred and cruelty of the Enemy, which he instilled in your breast; but the Father in Heaven saw a Christian soul[83] within this and instilled pain and fear in your breast, to guide your steps according to His Will, and brought you to me, so that, if you allow me, I may teach you the Gospel again and you may once again accept the true Faith."

»But Dromodoy rejected it and lived with the priest for five months in that forest. The young man hunted animals for them both to eat, and the old man carried water for them both to drink. The old man spoke to him about the Lord twice, and twice the young man rejected the true Faith, until one white day; when the young man was hunting a wild boar that had escaped him, he saw, over a pool under the trees, the images of a woman and a man, which stood on the water, without touching it. They were those of the Holy Mother and Saint Arcideus, who told him these words[84]:

—Son beloved by the Lord, who protects all those of Symbay, why do you deny the Faith that protected you when you were a fragile child, the one your loving mother gave you, and instead, remain faithful even to the men who enslaved you, when you are no longer with them? You have escaped from them, and they have left Ipharmeler, toward the deep waters of the Edulio. What do you possess other than the Faith of the God of Israel? And Dromodoy said to him:

—Good Uliterian, your words are cruel. The men I have escaped from have taught me to work and to get food. And I have escaped from them because my chest commanded me to. When a pirate deserts, his companions leave him where he is. This is our law and I know it. I will not demand it because it is just. And the Holy Mother to Dromodoy:

—That is a human law, but it is no greater government than that of the Lord, and the Lord does not abandon his sons who flee from him, but seeks them, waits for them, and forgives them. What your hands have done is abhorrent and impious. But if you repent and abandon your lost path, the Lord will forgive you. And Dromodoy to her:

—I understand your words, but I have given my life to the gods of Plaerx and I will serve them.

»And, after saying this, he left the lagoon and went out of the forest. Then he went to the Pliuthuly[85] to hunt and saw near its base a tree, whose crown resembled a man's skull and whose roots sprouted from the spine of a woman lying on the grass, through the gaps between the vertebrae. From the wooden skin of the trunk, emerged the face of an infant and its hands, down to the wrists. And on the highest arm of the treetop was a beautiful cock, with long and powerful[86] feathers, with a noble crest with rose thorns, which cut the light of the sun, and with claws and beak of gold. Then Dromodoy said:

—May the gods have mercy on you and forgive you, woman, for they are kind enough to free you and that infant. And the woman to Dromodoy:

—Good man, may the God of Heaven watch over you and keep you from the impiety to which I have given myself; for I was Dlangbliacmoin, daughter of Panimbaricous, pagan Celbal of Giony[87], and I served the gods of Symbay, but they did not watch over me. I came to this forest to leave wheat, wine, and meat for Arthe, beside a fig tree[88]; but it was not Arthe who received them, but the Enemy, who, taking away my offerings, made these branches and this trunk sprout from my thorn, because I had served other gods instead of Jehovah, and in it he trapped my son, Urtaeataeous, because I taught him to love the gods of Symbay. And Dromodoy to the woman:

—Your sharp words cut my chest and fill it with compassion for you and your little son. And I have also seen a beautiful rooster on this tree. Do you know him? And the woman to Dromodoy:

—That being came to me the first day I offered tribute to those of Plaerx. He was at my side when I gave birth to my son. He was at his side when the daughter of Stix[89] taught him to transform his voice, made of noise, into words. And he was at my side and at his side when I taught him the divine offices.

»As the woman finished saying this, the bird spread its wings and, rising into the air, flew toward the summit of the mountain. The pirate's chest filled with admiration, and he followed it. At the top was a forest, with tall trees that hid the clouds, and Dromodoy entered it. Among the trunks and leaves flowed the beautiful voices of children and women, each singing a melody of its own, which grew lighter as Dromodoy drew near. Then the pain and fear that had filled his chest in the chapel filled him again. A path appeared between the leaves, along which black roots and worn rocks tangled together. Then all the voices began to sing the same melody simultaneously. At the end of the path stood an old tree, as wide as a wall, with a rough trunk and scars of centuries. Its great roots strangled the rocks along the path, and among its leaves flew the murmurs of forgotten souls' voices: songs of brave warriors and priests, prayers of men and animals. And the rooster stood on the highest branch of the tree, beneath the roof of weeds. His feathers began to shine like the sun, with a light brighter than the crystals in the sky, whiter than snow, and burning like twelve rays, but which, when it touched the pirate, did not wound him. Then he knew that he was before a divine power he had never known. He fell to his knees and, between the tears that welled between his eyelids and wet his lips, he uttered these words: "Lord, I have sinned against you during the beardless years of my life, and I have not come to you, but you have brought me to you; I will be your servant until the day of my death."

»Then Dromodoy went down to land and went to Laeldous, to join the crew of Fufrescere, who went to Etrus, which had been subdued by the troops of Osgbe[90]. With them on the ship (were) the officer Giya, the officer Shesheciuclancus, the officer Caurus, General Bawy, with his army of one hundred and twenty Cerpes[91], General Dorus, with his army of one hundred and twenty Resgreres[92], General Baneby, with his army of one hundred and twenty Eloduians, General Erbaeddur, with his army of one hundred and twenty Ilmescs, General Boscagre, with his army of one hundred and twenty Ciptans[93]; and Aucops[94] of Anathy, who protected their piety and prayed to the Lord to be favorable to them. After they had crossed the waters, Aucops raised his hands to sky, all those on board knelt down, and the priest said: "Pater Caelestis, qui omnes filios tuos amas, rege ventos, si haec est voluntas tua, ut nos omnes ad terram perducant." Giya approached the wall of the hull, and many animals gathered before him: fish, dolphins, whales, narwhals, sharks; and he raised his hands to sky, honored God, and said to them: "Animals of the Lord, who fly through the waters of the Enemy; lift up your eyes above your backs to sky, and see the greatness of the Lord's work." When the Kirdaian had said this, the beasts raised their snouts and pointed them toward sky. Then he said to them: "Look to the work of the Lord and fear Him, for His power is greater than the largest whale among you, and His hand is stronger than the teeth of sharks; but you are His creations; bow your heads and receive the true Faith, which will make you saved." And when the Kirdaian had said this, the beasts lowered their snouts and buried their heads in the water, and the whales and dolphins uttered spouts to the sky in gesture of worship.

»The Lord filled the sails and directed the ship to Dreitus, where Tulmascians and Christian Merinians lived. There the Celbal[95] Chasax received them in his court and spoke to them thus, in Tulmascian words: "Good men of God, who brought you, you have come at an auspicious time for my kingdom. The army of Osgbe came here, killed many of my soldiers, and carried off my daughter Dunus; but some of my other soldiers managed to imprison one of them, whose name is Ospibrumare. For six months now, a soldier has been going to the cell[96] to interrogate him and to find out where they have taken my daughter, but he has not answered. I have sent for his mother, Daldus, who is a Christian, to interrogate him, and she has told me that he is telling her about the plan they are carrying out and that he has not told her where they have taken Dunus, but that he will tell her. However, to this day, she has not revealed to me anything that her son has told her, and I fear that she is holding us back with a stratagem until the Tharcaians kill my daughter." The Celbal having told them this, the crew went to the cell and there they saw Daldus, taking food to Ospibrumare, and Dromodoy said to her: "Fere faba, Keba ituguitis ardud pe arts rilød; duffjes inaməs[97] jerio; kun maruna gogaksedud taktis ardun kurkaksedud takitis kirlo biaikses arts riløn jot akaus fuldatso, dar ard kunna ima parikksedud takis kunud giroud kun ardun gogaksedud taktis." This in our words is: "Good woman, may the Lord protect you and your son; we come from the Chasax's court; he has told us that he has called you to question your son concerning the plan of the crew, but that you did not reveal to them what he has told you." And she answered Dromodoy: "Kristaskr faba, Keba ituguitis ardud pe arts fessa; nimo kuratis kun giroud gogas; sust parikksedud tagd susts rilød, Ospibrumarød, jormi kristaskr, dar, karmidepa kørapa, akibebasi[98] nujasksesi kurøm sunar Kiptəs pe takksedud takum pe apkksedud takum akibebød; karmidəs təs, kun kuratis akibeba gəksedud takum duma felgoso, sunar Egbariləs ieukejes inamosidoud suk neskøm kuts ksardektes pe touriadekətsi ruksi; kun urtides apkksedra taktis lin pe gəksedud takum felgoud, kraksedud takum duma apskopso pe takksedud takum iksamud; apskopsi urtides inaməs poskorksedud takum Ospibrumarød pe fad kutso biaksedud taktis kam suk etjo nesa kalakrso; kun dar kunun gogaksedud taktis ima fadud; urtides, Kasg apkksedud taktis kurka sustud, kirlo susts kurkəs kunud; pe rila susts sustun gogaksedud taktis ima fadud, sust dar inamøn gogaksedud tagd kun sustun katudud legitis akaoud akibebaso, kirlo kaits karmidəs giropa sust gogaid tud inamøn nesəs karmidəs sunar kurəs nimopa susts riləs." This in our words is: "Good Christian, may the Lord protect you and your marines; what happened is what you say; I raised my son, Ospibrumare, as a Christian, but one dark day, pirates came to Cipte, took him away, and turned him into a pirate. Since that day, he has been a pirate and they have subdued many cities, until Egbarile offered them a kingdom if they joined his army and the captain accepted; then he sent them here and they subdued the city, killed many soldiers, and took the daughter; the soldiers of the Celbal captured Ospibrumare and one of them interrogated him for six months; but he did not say a thing; then, he sent for me to interrogate him; my son has not told me anything, but I have told the Celbal that he is telling me the pirates' plan, because every day that I tell this to the Celbal is another day in the life of my son." Then Dromodoy told her to allow him to speak to his son. Daldus allowed it, and Dromodoy said to him: "Udmu gabatis ardud pe itugutis ardud, Ospibrumara, kirlo Kuts tasara boskara Kuts; pe suk nuspiis apkkumra arts, sustun gogais maloroud mu giroud takksedud takum iksamud Kasks pe denkeis kalpa Spigud tajekto, Kun rugbatis ardud kalpa, suk te kuretis Kuts Unkra." This in our words is: "God loves and protects you, Ospibrumare, because He loves all His sons; and if you repent of your actions, tell me where they have taken Chasax's daughter and accept the true Faith again, He will receive you again, if that is His Will." Ospibrumare received Dromodoy's words. Then, Aucops entered the cell, heard him repent, baptized him again, and the pirate told him that the others had taken Dunus to Etrus and the Celbal ordered his arms and legs to be tied. A sailor cut off seven of his fingers and buried them in the ground, under a plant that was placed over them[99]. After this, they put him on a ship, the ship moved away from the shore, and they threw him into the waters of the Tauchynous, where he sank. Then the captain said: "Urpeti tar, tiþu teþu nymysga[100]."

»Then Fufrescere's ship took to the waters of the same sea and sailed away from Dreitus, toward Etrus. And one night they saw a ship approaching and passing by them with fiery sails[101], which lit up the sky, like day. Upon it were seraphim and cherubim. But it moved quickly away, and Fufrescere's ship entered the darkness again. And another ship approached them, whose hull and sails were red. Aucops then ordered the entire crew to cross themselves, and they did so. Upon the ship was the Enemy, directing it, accompanied by an army of impious spirits, and the souls of a thousand sinners moved the oars. The red ship rammed Fufrescere's ship, and one hundred and twenty men fell into the water, which, although they had accepted the true Faith, had not been baptized. And one hundred and twenty impious spirits flew up to them, took their heads, drowned them, and carried their souls to their ship. There, each of them took an oar and joined the other sinners. But the impious spirits did not come near Dromodoy, for the Lord protected him, having prepared a very great task for him.

»Fufrescere's ship arrived at the shore of Etrus and to her went a man dressed in a crotcegipecus, girded with a golden faproc, and a saeduscorgot[102], who was a Tharcaian pirate from Arxaer's ship, and he said[103] to them: "God protect you, good men; know that I am Athurhisphe and I came from Targathe, which is the land where I was born and where I live, because my son was captured by pagans from Tharcay and taken to the ship that is there, behind Mount Dlangiavin; but I am a weak woman and I am not able to face pirates; if you help me, the Lord will reward you abundantly and I will pay you equally abundantly, because I am very rich." Fufrescere agreed and, leaving his ship, went to the part that is behind the mountain, with Dromodoy, Erbaeddur and his soldiers and Boscagre and his soldiers. There they were attacked by Arxaer's pirates, but the Lord protected them and twenty of Erbaedder's soldiers were killed, but two hundred and forty pirates were killed. Dromodoy saw Oparhiathelous and Oparhiathelous saw Dromodoy and the Dartan said[104] to the Ipharmelerran:

—Brother, how severe is the fate the gods choose for men, for they have made us two meet with the erfi in our hands! And Dromodoy to Oparhiathelous:

—Your words hurt my chest, Oparhiathelous, because you always loved me and protected me, but you fight with the pirates who enslaved me and I fight now for the God who freed me.

»"Having said this, Dromodoy raised his spear and drove it into the dartan' chest. His soul escaped through the hole it had made in him, and Oparhiathelous fell dead to the ground. Then the Ipharmelerran raised his hands to sky and, honoring God, said:

—Lord of Heaven, your mercy is the greatest. Forgive this man, for, although he acted very cruelly, there was always love and mercy in his chest.

»The man dressed as a noblewoman was Epmarblurx, and he was on the ship, protected by Fufrescere's crew. But Baneby found him trying to steal, stabbed the erfi in the chest, and the pirate fell dead to the ground. Then the Eloduian raised his hands to sky and, honoring God, said: "Blioki Gelbalo, sdoubo dondeo eigao ezto, geloko das ko bortor bemp eirfereukeus; egeirdotogis Boleu dondeeu." This in our words is: "Lord of Heaven, your mercy is the greatest, but this man acted very cruelly; I handed him to your Will."

»Then Dromodoy saw on the plain Tulmarile, the captain of the pirate ship on which Ospibrumare sailed, carrying Dunus to it, and raising his hands to sky, he prayed to the Lord to give him skill, took his bow and an arrow, drew it, and shot it at the pirate, whose throat it pierced, and he fell to the ground dead. Seeing this, Erbaeddur, Boscagre, and their soldiers went to the girl, killed the pirates who were trying to reach her and those who tried to prevent them from reaching her, took her and carried her to Fufrescere's ship, and after the whole crew had gathered around him, they went to Dreitus and returned the daughter to Chasax. Then Dromodoy returned to Ipharmeler, and they met Agajapsaesve again, and he said to the priest, "O pious brother, you have often tried to make me see the truth, but my breast refused to open to it! The Lord sent the Saint of Ulitery and the Holy Virgin Mother to show me the truth, but I rejected it again. Then He showed me His great power and made me see again. Now I will serve Him until the day of my death." Having heard this, and his breast being filled with joy, Agajapsaesve raised his hands to sky and honored God. He took some of his water, blessed it, and with it baptized again the one who had been a cruel pirate. After this, Dromodoy took him to Pliuthuly, and there they saw the woman. Then Dromodoy said to the priest, "Brother, this woman you see here served the false idols of the Symbaians and took her son by this path; but she paid for this sin and now regrets it." Hearing this, and feeling his heart filled with joy, Agajapsaesve raised his hands to sky and honored God. He took some of his water, blessed it, and with it baptized the woman and her son. Then the rooster landed on her head, and the trunk and branches fell apart around her body and that of her son, releasing them. When they were both free, they fell on their knees, the priest and the Ipharmelerrhan doing the same, they raised their hands to sky and honored God, and through Agajapsaesve, He gave each of them a new name: Nausy[105] and Stephna[106].

[1] Merinian mythological beast, elephant with ears like bat wings and a poisonous snake for a trunk.

[2] dýmω, Symbainic hunting spear.

[3] Dēsgērdēkēp, "emerged from the water." Because the island rose above the horizon when the people of Merinians headed towards it through the Cerpiecde Sea, they thought that the island was born from the waters.

[4] Cf. Paladasty, 54.214-216.

[5] Gylyliabgadékαs, "she who carries within a people" or "she who is pregnant with a people."

[6] Fesous was the eponymous king of the Symbainic tribe of the Fesouts, to which the inhabitants of the cities of Lunde and Daedre belong.

[7] Cf. Paladasty, 30.119.

[8] Mythological king of Apsil.

[9] ýsarζ. The generals were not appointed for merit, but for belonging to royal families (as is the case of Forhel, who belonged to the Lumpiceda lineage).

[10] oyllmýnyφys, word with which the Symbaian Christians referred to a type of river-demon, which they identified with the Leviathan (see note 6 of The Dolparmous). In this case, Dolmmiclaelide probably confuses this demon with the Kirdaian deity Ciarocy in the story that Agaroc told him. Ciarocy (Kяroki kd., "she who brings") is the river-serpent deity that corresponds to the river of the same name. The Kirdaians believed that this river was a great serpent-goddess who brought water from the mountains. Its male counterpart is Oce (Oke kd., "the one who carries"), which corresponds to the river of the same name and which carries the waters to the Jetain Sea. For the Kirdaians, both deities protected the area they delimited, in which Ejamoc was located, and the animals and plants that were in said area, according to the myth, were their sons. Here Dolmmiclaelide is mixing the Symbainic myth of Forhel with the Kirdaian myth of Guijancejus (see the section of Ayamoc in the Commentary on the Agaroc's Chronicles).

[11] ztérpas gâydas is the expression with which the Christian Symbaians referred to demons.

[12] For this reason Dolmmiclaelide identified Forhel with the epithet "Kяmrbers яrxor e."

[13] αvñgâydis, Symbaian vates. Dolmmiclaelide uses this term to intrude a Kirdaian diviner.

[14] These became worms.

[15] smýkpφi, temple dedicated to the cantiparicode deity: patron saint of each city. Stix is the cantyparicode god of Ipharmeler.

[16] szêimpφi, treasure. Both the State and the smucfis had a room, where they kept the wealth they owned. The State designated a part of the treasury for religious worship, which was kept by the sufabes (sýfabas, priests consecrated to a deity) in the smucfi, along with the donations made to them by the richest families.

[17] See the Epistle of Sphiod §17, annexed to the Paladasty.

[18] náram is the Symbainic word to refer to the narapec (*na(r)(a)pek), a home altar of Vermaric origin, dedicated to the deity who had the function of patronage of the house. The Damarians also preserved this rite, but the term referring to this altar was "nirupigh" (niropiг). This nirupigh was dedicated to Lius, the Damarian god of the sky, corresponding to the proto-Vermaric Paliu, from which the Symbainic Pleius also comes.

[19] Historical king of Psicul. He was the first king of Dutory to convert to Christianity and was responsible for spreading it throughout the peninsula.

[20] Námmales, Symbaian name of the Tharcaian city Inamamale.

[21] The lamb with three eyes symbolizes the three city-kingdoms of Farte: Ipharmeler, Telmither and Atare. The fact that Abraham holds it in his arms, unlike the other lambs, which were on the ground, represents that Farte had already received the Gospel and the grace of God, although in reality at that time only some Ipharmelerhians had converted to Christianity.

[22] The six heads add up to eighteen eyes, which represent the thirteen remaining city-kingdoms of Parthegar, the three Tartace Islands, Tare and Parnacay.

[23] The nine legs of the lamb represent the five city-kingdoms of Xamesy, Phorche and Seletus and Telirus and Arcante.

[24] The eight legs represent the eight city-kingdoms of Dutory.

[25] The white wolf represents Tharcay. The two-headed lamb represents the four Symbainic settlements in the territory of the Tharcaians, which threatened them. Ezekiel is the one who holds this wolf because this prophet carried out his ministry in the Babylonian exile, so he represents the fact that the evangelization of the Tharcaians would take place in their territory, which was pagan and hostile.

[26] The bear represents Meriny and the seven-legged lamb represents the seven Symbaian settlements in Meriny territory. The reason why David is the one holding the rope of this animal is because the evangelization of Meriny took place with the conversion of the kings (Arxitax de Anoce in The Dolparmous is an example of this).

[27] Chelacuthpharicous was the first Symbaian martyr and had his martyrdom in Thunday.

[28] This story demonizes the graemes of Symbaian pagan mythology. See note 8 of the Paladasty.

[29] It is one of the forests of Jastalipar, the island where the wicked went when they died in Symbaine mythology. See the Epistle of Sphiod, op. cit.

[30] See note 14 of the Paladasty.

[31] The fish represent the community of Christians receiving the pagan.

[32] Srévs ("messenger"), is the word that the Symbaians used to translate ἄγγελος. In that case, it refers to Archangel Michael.

[33] Race of giants from Symbaian mythology.

[34] sfářy, Symbian fishing net.

[35] Dolmmiclaelide associates the vodiacs with Goliath to demonize them as pagan creatures.

[36] Symbaian semi-long battle sword.

[37] Dalαψâisvas, "Daly's Falcon." Upon converting to Christianity, he abandons this name, which refers to a pagan goddess, and takes the name Thiphal (Symbainic version of Theophilus).

[38] Father of Arcideus.

[39] Saint Thiphal is considered the evangelizer of all Farte.

[40] Symbaian god of wind and storms.

[41] Symbaian god of daylight.

[42] Mythological creature of Western Vermaric origin. She had the abdomen, legs and jaws of a spider and the torso and face of a woman, from which the limbs of the animal emerged. See Ergidastey 9.

[43] Mount of Atare.

[44] These phrases demonstrate Dolmmiclaelide's ignorance of pagan Symbaian mythology, since, in this, for mortals to see the gods was considered a serious fault.

[45] This is a mockery of the pagan deities by Dolmmiclaelide: he knows that Saint Arcideus and Saint Thiphal are going to wipe out the tribe of the vodiacs, so he puts into the mouth of the Christian priest the wish that the main god of the Symbaian pantheon make them live for thousands of years, thus mocking the power of the latter.

[46] Place where the Symbaian gods resided.

[47] The tribe of vodiacs of Aethuphar was made up of the sons of Isphiasiraerx and Oparcydry, daughter of Sthalphrous.

[48] Creature born from the fire with which Dalx burned the forests of Dutory. See Paladasty 26.101-103. Her skin turns into flames when it touches fear.

[49] With "of this young Christian" (χristianῆ χairῆ kῆ), it refers not to his age, but to the fact that he was a new Christian.

[50] This episode is narrated in the fragment About Crodarcous King, dated a century before the arrival of Christianity in Parthegar, although this text mentions that Atarous died, which suggests that this version altered this fact so that the beast died at the hand of a Christian Symbaian.

[51] This eagle was a being from the Chirdish mythology, Yesquiórn, who controlled the weather. The Chirdish thought that the winds were the result of the flapping of its wings.

[52] késne, Simbain watchtower.

[53] In Symbaian mythology, sand was considered the sweat of Athur. The fall of holy water on the sands of Dutory symbolizes the final defeat of paganism by Christianity.

[54] Historical king of Ipharmeler. He was the first king of Parthegar to convert to Christianity and is the father of Slatiel of Ipharmeler.

[55] An árkerys was a nobleman who owned a castle.

[56] The verb bgadexám also means "to be pregnant," so this phrase can also be translated as "you are pregnant with divine starlight".

[57] Hand bag made of wool, used in hunting and gathering.

[58] It refers to the gerpapscaldar, a stone mound that the Symbians erected to commemorate their dead ancestors. See note 1 of Fragment in Archaic Symbaian.

[59] spólpφi, the anteroom of the simba houses.

[60] Phojaegrous, god of forging and blacksmithing, son of Dalx and Ercathy and brother of Veur, god of the market.

[61] faprok, Unisex belt, used by all the Symbaians.

[62] Scige turns his brother into a man-sized bat, who lived in the Anathy forests and helped passersby who got lost there at night.

[63] This text is inspired by the work The Archipelago on Fire, by Jules Verne.

[64] pyrzaýrkayζ (from pyrzâyr, "pirate ship"), Symbaian pirate.

[65] Dromodôis, "Fire Head".

[66] The narrator uses the word náram, which was a pagan altar of Vermaric origin, to refer to the Christian altar.

[67] The narrator uses the word pnéztars, which means both "fatherly love" and "motherly love."

[68] fzηnákaï, Symbaian chest armor.

[69] Dromodoy speaks in Thargathan dialect.

[70] dápψis means "divine power," in contrast to dinas or mído, which refer to human political power, might, government, and dominion. The term was used by pagans to refer to the powers and faculties of the gods and was later employed by Christian Simbaínos to refer to the power of God, translating both δύναμις and κράτος.

[71] rýsκayζ, front-rank soldier wielding the rusca, semi-long battle sword.

[72] Řibakarôys, epithet of Dartus. See note 4 of the Epistle of Sphiod.

[73] kélbals, Symbaian monarch.

[74] Smýkpφi, Symbaian public temple. The narrator uses this word to highlight Dromodoy's ignorance, since the Merinias (known allies of the Christian Symbaians) did not build temples to their gods.

[75] Here is an example of quantitative partitive constructions in Symbaian. "Twenty-four" in Symbaian is kydríalo, which is none other than the dual of kýdar, "twelve," which is the noun kýdars ("finger"), but converted into a neuter. In other words, géndañk kydríalo could also be translated as "two dozen of us" or "two fingers of us." For this reason, the verb gertoírloi agrees with its absolutive subject in the neuter dual and not in the second dual or third plural masculine. The Vermaric number system is like the Sumerian one. Numbers are ordered in tens, resulting from the sum of the twelve phalanges of the four fingers. Each dozen is counted with the fingers of the other hand. Therefore, each dozen corresponds to one kýdar, one finger.

[76] érfi, hand dagger of Vermaric origin.

[77] The same thing happens here as with kydríalo (see note 75). The singular form ágar ("sixty"), which comes from ágars ("hand"), agrees with the verb gertóro in the third singular neuter, and symbaíoiñk ágar can also be translated as "one sixty Symbaians" or "one hand of Symbaians." When the hand keeping count runs out of fingers (when it reaches five tens), it counts an ágar, "one hand." Thus, the Symbaian number system is not ordered in hundreds made up of ten tens, but in sixties, made up of five tens. The number 73, for example, would be ágar kýdar pa pál pat ("one hand, one finger, and one": 60+12+1).

[78] The Christian Symbaians adopted the ballistae from the Greeks.

[79] ýskyms (from Merinians uskum), Merinian soldier.

[80] See note 75.

[81] The verb fzωrgísam refers to the execution of ciraxcy: the execution, by beheading, of military deserters and traitors, or of those who betray the crown. That a heretic Dromodoy uses this term to describe the murder of Christian Symbaian women and children probably suggests that the character regards such an act as a punishment inflicted on those who betray the pagan gods.

[82] Deity who guides the souls of those who die fighting. See the Epistle of Sphiod. §16.

[83] The word ztárs translates as "soul", "mind", "spirit", "consciousness", meaning the thinking and feeling part of the individual, while ztérpas is the immortal soul.

[84] The following words are spoken by Arcideus, who, being Uliterian, speaks in the Anathian dialect, which is almost identical to Fartan, except that, instead of the affix -ζ- for the middle voice, it has an allomorph -z-.

[85] Mount near Ipharmeler.

[86] The adjective dapψíeis refers to divine power.

[87] The dialect spoken in Giony was Targathan. For this reason, Dlangbliacmoin speaks this variety.

[88] The pagan Symbaians did not leave offerings to the gods on the fig trees, but rather it refers to the Gospel passage in which Jesus curses this tree (cf. Matthew 21:18-22), therefore, this woman represents less the pagan Symbaians than the Christian Symbaians, who are converted in appearance but have not yet been completely converted in their hearts.

[89] Gargmon. See Paladasty 24.95-96.

[90] Tharcaian general in the service of Egbarile.

[91] kὴrpais, term with which the Symbaians referred to the Thrhombarmabians.

[92] resgrὴrais, term with which the Symbaians referred to the Stosrithes.

[93] These officers and captains in the story are meant to represent the presence of all the other Christianized, or partially Christianized, peoples until then: Kirdaians, Phojeans, Tulmascians, Thrhombarmabians, Stosrithes, Eloduians, Ilmescs and Tharcaians.

[94] Aucops was a priest. His name is the Symbaian version of the name Jacob. His secular name is unknown.

[95] The narrator uses this term here to refer to the monarch of the Tulmascians.

[96] albiegvárakton (pl.), Symbaian prison for prisoners of war. The same thing happens as in the previous note.

[97] El narrador utiliza el término inama (monarca zarqueano) para referirse al rey.

[98] akibeba ("que se oculta en el agua"), es la palabra zarqueana para referirse a los piratas.

[99]This passage describes a pagan Tulmascian rite, the atetur ("separating the tetu"), which survived Christianization. Because of the homophony of tetu ("man," "new," "dream," and "plant") and tiþu ("7" and "4"), the Tulmascians believed that every time a man is born, seven other men are born somewhere, and they are all interconnected by the eight fingers on each hand, not counting the thumb (four fingers per hand): seven connect them to each of their brothers by birth, and one represents themselves. When one sleeps, six others sleep as well, and the eighth awakens, and the others can see through his eyes in their dreams. When one of the eight dies, the others die with him in their sleep (this is how the Tulmascians explained this type of sudden death). For this reason, before dying, the Tulmascians would cut off the seven fingers that connected the dying person to his brothers, to free them, and would bury them in the ground, under a plant, so that their roots would entangle them, connecting with the other seven and taking the place of the dead person.

[100] In Tulmascian, "Hoy, siete hombres despertarán."

[101] This other passage describes other Tulmascun myth that survived Christianization, syncretized. The Tulmascuns believed that the souls of those who were born were brought, across the Tauchynous, in a boat of fire (the Turtur), to earth, while the souls of those who died were carried back in a boat of wind (the Nyntur), across those waters, to the Otherworld. Christianization transformed the former into a boat commanded by cherubim and seraphim, who protect pious sailors, and the latter into one commanded by Satan, who takes away the souls of sinful sailors who die at sea. This myth (which is also present in Stosrithe mythology, with the Stouzeryst and the Nynsteryst) seems to have an Insular Vermaric origin, since, on the one hand, the Bieriwachichus also had a myth of a fire ship that carried the souls of the deceased (the Ðaurtåfrю) and, on the other hand, the names of both ships have their origin in Proto-Insular Vermarian (*dʰr̩tʰɐrʰe and *noi̯ndʰɐrʰe). Furthermore, the Insular Vermaric myth seems to have developed from Vermaric mythology, since, in addition to the names coming from Proto-Vermaric (*dʰr̩tʰau̯rʰja, "fire boat", and *(a)nei̯mtʰau̯rʰja, "boat of awakening"), several Vermaric themes can be seen in this myth, such as the maritime origin of humanity (cf. note 31 to the Commentary on the Agaroc's Chronicles), the transport by boat of the souls of the dead and the unborn (cf. Epistle of Sphiod §17) and the identification of life with fire (cf. Paladasty 14.54 and the Proto-Vermaric verb *krat, which means both "to kill" and "to die" and "to extinguish" and from which come the symbaian verb krasám, the Eloduian verb kretor, the Damarian verb kro, etc.; see the Proto-Vermaric section in Proto-languages). Furthermore, the presence of the root *(a)nei̯m suggests that those who drove these boats were *(a)nei̯murau̯ (Proto-Vermaric deities of sleep, life and death).

[102] The pirate is dressed in clothing worn by noble women. The crotcegipecus (krotkηgípeko, "covering everything") was a dress that went from the middle of the neck to the ankles; the faproc (faprók, "protecting the waist") is a girdle, usually made of hard materials; it is a typical Symbaian garment common to all society, of both sexes and all ages and classes; and the saeduscorgot (saidyskῶrgot, "circle that separates") is a metal headband that women used to to keep hair away from the face.

[103] The pirate speaks in Targathan Symbaian.

[104] Being from Dartous, Oparhiathelous speaks in the Eastern Xamesian dialect.

[105] Naýsαs, "(religious) piety".

[106] Stéφnas, Symbaian version of the name Stephen.