Text 73: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (i)

Original text (in a South-East Midlands dialect, 14th century) :

Now schall seye зou seweyngly of contrees and yles þat ben beзonde the contrees þat I haue spoken of. Wherefore I seye зou, in passynge be the lond of Cathaye toward the high Ynde, and toward Bachayre, men passen be a kyngdom þat men cleppen Caldilhe, þat is a full fair contre. And þere growthe a maner of fruyt, as þough it weren gowrdes; and whan þei ben rype, men kutten hem ato and men fynden withinne a lytyll best, in flesch, in bon, and blode as þough it were a lytill lomb, withouten wolle. And men eten bothe the frut and the best: and þat is a gret mervueylle. Of þat frute I haue eten, allþough it were wondirfull: but þat I knowe wel, þat god is merueyllous in his werkes.

(Original text extracted from page 238 from Freeborn, Dennis. From Old English to Standard English. 3rd edition, New York, Palgrave MacMillan,2006)

Our Modern translation:

Now I tell you in what follows about the countries and isles that are beyond the countries I have spoken of . Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of China towards the high India, and towards Bacharye, men pass by a kingdom that they call Caldilhe, that is a very nice country. And there it grows a kind of fruit, as if it was pumpkins; and when they are ripe, men cut then in two parts, and find them within a little beast, in flesh, bone and blood, as if it was a little lamb without wool. And men eat both the fruit and the beast: and that is wonderful. Of that fruit I have eaten, although it was....: but what I know well is that God is marvellous in his works.