When The Beaver Finds He
Cannot Save Himself From The Pursuit Of The Dogs Who Follow Him,
That He May
Ransom his body by the sacrifice of a part, he throws
away that, which by natural instinct he knows to
Be the object
sought for, and in the sight of the hunter castrates himself, from
which circumstance he has gained the name of Castor; and if by
chance the dogs should chase an animal which had been previously
castrated, he has the sagacity to run to an elevated spot, and there
lifting up his leg, shews the hunter that the object of his pursuit
is gone. Cicero speaking of them says, "They ransom themselves by
that part of the body, for which they are chiefly sought." And
Juvenal says,
" - Qui se
Eunuchum ipse facit, cupiens evadere damno
Testiculi."
And St. Bernard,
"Prodit enim castor proprio de corpore velox
Reddere quas sequitur hostis avarus opes."
Thus, therefore, in order to preserve his skin, which is sought
after in the west, and the medicinal part of his body, which is
coveted in the east, although he cannot save himself entirely, yet,
by a wonderful instinct and sagacity, he endeavours to avoid the
stratagems of his pursuers. The beavers have broad, short tails,
thick, like the palm of a hand, which they use as a rudder in
swimming; and although the rest of their body is hairy, this part,
like that of seals, is without hair, and smooth; upon which account,
in Germany and the arctic regions, where beavers abound, great and
religious persons, in times of fasting, eat the tails of this fish-
like animal, as having both the taste and colour of fish.
We proceeded on our journey from Cilgerran towards Pont-Stephen,
{137} leaving Cruc Mawr, i.e. the great hill, near Aberteivi, on our
left hand. On this spot Gruffydd, son of Rhys ap Tewdwr, soon after
the death of king Henry I., by a furious onset gained a signal
victory against the English army, which, by the murder of the
illustrious Richard de Clare, near Abergevenny (before related), had
lost its leader and chief. {138} A tumulus is to be seen on the
summit of the aforesaid hill, and the inhabitants affirm that it
will adapt itself to persons of all stature and that if any armour
is left there entire in the evening, it will be found, according to
vulgar tradition, broken to pieces in the morning.
CHAPTER IV
Of the journey by Pont Stephen, the abbey of Stratflur, Landewi
Brevi, and Lhanpadarn Vawr
A sermon having been preached on the following morning at Pont
Stephen, {139} by the archbishop and archdeacon, and also by two
abbots of the Cistercian order, John of Albadomus, and Sisillus of
Stratflur, {140} who faithfully attended us in those parts, and as
far as North Wales, many persons were induced to take the cross. We
proceeded to Stratflur, where we passed the night. On the following
morning, having on our right the lofty mountains of Moruge, which in
Welsh are called Ellennith, {141} we were met near the side of a
wood by Cyneuric son of Rhys, accompanied by a body of light-armed
youths.
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