Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/285

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
OF THE SUGGESTIONS, &C.
111


TALE XXIV.

OF THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE DEVIL.

There was a celebrated magician, who had a very beautiful garden, in which grew flowers of the most fragrant smell, and fruits of the most delicious flavour. In short, nothing on earth could exceed it. But he invariable refused admittance to all except to fools, or such as were his enemies. When suffered to pass in, however, their wonder was extreme; and few having entered it wished to return. On the contrary, the delights which they experienced, so infatuated their minds, that they easily yielded to the demands of the magician, and resigned their inheritances to him without the slightest reserve. The fools, of course, believing it to be Paradise, and that the flowers and fruits were of immortal growth,