Of the Old Man of the Mountain, and his end.

After I had left the lands of Prester John and was travelling towards the west ¹ , I came to a certain country which is called Millestorte ² , a fair and very fertile region. In this country used to dwell a certain one who was called the Old Man of the Mountain ³ . Between two of the 258mountains of that region he had built a wall, and this he carried right round one of the mountains ¹ . And inside this wall were the most delightful fountains of water, and beside them were set the most charming virgins on the face of the earth ² , as well as splendid horses and everything else that could be thought of for the gratification of man’s senses. Wine and milk also were made to flow there by certain conduits; and the place had the name of Paradise ³ . And when 259he found any youth of promise he caused him to be admitted to his Paradise ¹ . And then when he desired to cause any king or baron to be assassinated ² , or poignarded, he called on the officer who was set over that paradise to select some one who was most fitted for the business, and who most delighted in the life led in that paradise of his. To this young man a certain potion was given which immediately set him fast asleep, and so in his sleep he was carried forth from that paradise. And when he awoke again, and found himself no longer in paradise, he went into such a madness of grief that he knew not what he did. And when he importuned that Old One of the Mountain to let him back again into paradise, the reply was : “ Thither thou canst not return until thou shalt have slain such a king or baron. And then, whether thou live or die, I will bring thee back into paradise again.” And so through the youth’s great lust to get back into his paradise, he got murdered by his hand whomsoever he list. And thus the fear of this Old One was upon all the kings of the east, and they paid him heavy tribute. But when the Tartars had conquered nearly the whole of the east, they came also to the land of that Old Man, and at last took his dominion from him ³ . And when they had done this, he sent forth many of his assassins from his paradise, and by their hands caused many Tartars to be assassinated and slain. And when the Tartars saw this, they came to the city wherein the Old Man dwelt, and besieged it, and quitted it not until they took it and the Old Man also. Him they bound in chains, and caused to suffer a miserable death.