Page:The Captivity of Hans Stade of Hesse.pdf/199

After some days one of his brothers died, then another child, and another brother, who as beforesaid had brought me the news that they had fallen ill.

Now when he saw, that his children, his mother and his brothers were gone, he feared much, that he and his wives would also die. Then he said that I was to tell my God. to withdraw his anger, so that he might live. I comforted him greatly, and told him there was no danger, but that when he recovered again he was not to think of killing me. Thereupon he answered "No," and also commanded those in the huts that nobody should injure me, or threaten to eat me. He nevertheless remained ill for a time, but he was (at last) restored to health, together with one of his wives, who was also ill. There died, however, about eight of his friends, besides others, who had treated me cruelly. Now there were yet two other kings from two other huts, the one named Vratinge Wasu, the other Kenrimakui. Vratinge Wasu had dreamt, that I had appeared before him, and had told him, that he was to die. And he came in the morning early to me and complained thereof to me, I said "No," he was not to be afraid, but that he also was not to think of killing me, or advise others to do it. Then he answered "no," as they, who had captured me would not kill me, so he also would do me no harm, and even if they killed me, he would not eat of me. In like manner the other king Kenrimakui, had also dreamt of me, a dream which terrified him much, and he called me to his hut, and gave me to eat and then complained of it to me, and said, he had once been to war, and had captured a Portuguese, and had killed him with his own hands, and had eaten of him so plentifully, that his chest (stomach) had ever since been delicate. And (he declared that) he would eat of no other. So now he had dreamt of me such a terrible dream that he thought he was also to die. Him also I bade be of good cheer, but he was to take care never to eat human flesh again.