abundant in gadflies and hornets, so that it was a very purgatory
for asses and horses. But Gargantua's mare handsomely avenged all the
outrages committed upon beasts of her kind. For as soon as she entered
the forest, and the hornets gave the attack, she drew out her tail and
swished it about, and swept down all the trees with as much ease as a
mower cuts grass. And since then there has been neither a forest nor a
hornet's nest in that place, for all the country was thereby reduced to
pasture land.

At last Gargantua came to Paris, and inquired what wine they drank
there, and what learning was to be had. Everybody in Paris looked upon
him with great admiration. For the people of this city are by nature so
sottish, idle, and good-for-nothing, that a mountebank, a pardoner come
from Rome to sell indulgences, or a fiddler in the crossways, will
attract together more of them than a good preacher of the Gospel. So
troublesome were they in pursuing Gargantua, that he was compelled to
seek a resting-place on the towers of Notre Dame. There he amused
himself by ringing the great bells, and it came into his mind that they
would serve as cowbells to hang on the neck of his mare, so he carried
them off to his lodging.

At this all the people of Paris rose up in sedition. They are, as you
know, so ready to uproars and insurrections, that foreign nations wonder
at the stupidity of the kings of France at not restraining them from
such tumultuous courses, seeing the manifold inconveniences which thence
arise from day to day. Believe for a truth, that the place where the
people gathered together was called Nesle; there, after the case was
proposed and argued, they resolved to send the oldest and most able of
their learned men unto Gargantua to explain to him the great and
horrible prejudice they sustained by the want of their bells. Thereupon
Gargantua put up the bells again in their place, and in acknowledgement
of his courtesy, the citizens offered to maintain and feed his mare as
long as he pleased. And they sent her to graze in the forest of Biere,
but I do not think she is there now.

For some years Gargantua studied at Paris under a wise and able master,
and grew expert in manly sports of all kinds, as well as in learning of
every sort. Then he was called upon to return to his country to take
part in a great and horrible war.

_II.--The Marvellous Deeds of Friar John_

The war began in this way: At the time of the vint