Jean de Calais

One night, the two were chatting, as customary, leaned on the side of the ship. The weather was superb, and the moon was lucid and brilliant in the sky.
- What happiness! my big friend, said Jean. Every day brings me closer to Bordeaux. Soon, I will see my wife and my children again. Soon, we will return all four, to live happily in Lisbon Portugal. My friend, I will never forget your services. Don't leave us. I have what it is to make you rich.
- Jean, I want it well.
But this man was a traitor, that watched for the opportunity for a long time to make an attack. He pretended to collect something on the ground, grasped Jean quickly by the legs, and threw him in the wide open sea. The poor wretch swam, while shouting for help. No one came. Already the ship was out of sight. Jean kept swimming. But he felt that it could not last.

- Virgin Saint, have mercy on me.
At the moment, a big White Bird flew out the night, skimming the big sea.
- Jean of Calais, I am the soul of the dead poor man. Jean of Calais you did me a service. I didn't forget it. My help won't leave you.
And the big White Bird flew off who knows where. Jean kept swimming. But he felt that it could not last.
- The big White Bird lied. Virgin Saint, have mercy of me.
At the moment, a wooden beam passed floating on the sea. Quickly, Jean seized it, and climbed on.
- Thank you, Virgin Saint. You had mercy of me. The big White Bird didn't lie.
During three days and three nights, Jean floated, without eating or drinking nor, without seeing anything but the sky and water. Finally, he landed nearly dead on a rock, on a rock without trees nor greenery, in the middle of the wide open sea.

- Virgin Saint, have mercy of me. On this rock, I will die of thirst and hunger.
At the moment, a big White Bird flew, skimming the rock.
- Jean of Calais, I am the soul of the dead poor man. Jean of Calais, you did me a service. I didn't forget it. My help won't leave you. Hold, here is a loaf of bread and a jar of wine. Take note that once a week I will bring to you the same.
And the big White Bird flew off who knows where.
But he came back once each week, with one loaf of bread and a jar of wine. It lasted a long time, well a long time.
While Jean lived thus, the traitor who had taken all his secrets, and that had thrown him in the big sea, had gradually become master and Lord in his castle. First, he had presented himself clothed in mourning.
- Hello, Madam.. I bring you sad news. Jean is dead.

Then, all people of the castle took themselves to shouting and crying.
- Yes, Jean died. I was his close friend. He told me all his secrets. Interrogate me. I am in state to answer you on all. Yes, Jean died, drowned in the big sea. Keep me at home. I will be your steward; but I don't want any earnings. Every morning and every evening, we will ask God to put in peace the soul of my close friend.
What was said was done. for four years, the steward ruled as master and Lord in the house. Before him, mistresses and valets trembled like a leaf, and didn't dare to utter a word.
One day, the steward said to his mistress:
- Madam, Jean died, and is very dead, drowned in the big sea. It is necessary to get married.
The mistress mistrusted him, but she was afraid to say no.
- Steward, I ask you for one year to think of it.

- Madam., I give you one year.
At the end of one year, the steward said to his mistress:
- Madam., It is time to get married.
The mistress mistrusted him; but she was afraid to say no.
- Steward, I ask you again for one year, to spin my trousseau, with my sister and my maids.
- Madam., I give you one year again.
At the end of one year, the Steward said to his mistress:
- Madam, it is time to get married.
The mistress mistrusted him; but she was afraid to say no.
- Steward, I ask you again for one year, to sew my trousseau, with my sister and my maids.
- Madam., I give you one year again, but not more.

While these sad things happened in its house, Jean still lived on his rock, on his rock without trees nor greenery, in the middle of the big sea. Every week, the big White Bird brought him a loaf of bread and a jar of wine.
One morning, just at dawn, the big White Bird spoke.
- Jean, sad things happen at home. Today same, your wife will be forced to marry her steward, to marry the traitor who threw you in the big sea. Jean, promise me the half of that that you like best, and in one hour I carry you on the doorstep of your castle.
- Big White Bird, I promise you the half of that that I like best.

Then, the big White Bird planted its beak and its claws in the hair of Jean, and left like a lightning in the big sea. One hour after, it put him down on the doorstep of his house.
- Jean of Calais, I held my promise. The time is near, where I will ask you to keep yours.
And the big White Bird flew off who knows where.
Since seven years that Jean lived on his rock, on his rock without trees nor greenery, he had not had his hair cut, nor shaved his beard. His clothes fell in shreds. The poor man left, like a beggar, at the door of the kitchen, where the maids worked hard to prepare the wedding dinner.
- Small alms, if it pleases you, maids, for the love of God and the Virgin Mary. Paternoster, that is in heaven...
- Here wretch. Guard your vermin. Hold, take this bowl of soup, this piece of bread, this bottle, and go satiate yourself at the stable.
Jean obeyed. While he drank and ate, his wife's sister entered the stable, with a plate of stew.
- Poor thing, our maids are worth nothing. They hunted you out of the kitchen, without giving you everything that it is necessary. I ask you for forgiveness of it. Hold, here for you; but pray to God for us.

Jean thanked God, and fell on the stew. Since seven past years, he had not eaten anything similar.
- Thank you, my pet. Let God reward you. You don't recognize me. But me, I recognize you. You are the young daughter of the son of the king of Lisbon in Portugal. Me, I am Jean of Calais, your sister's husband.
- It is true, Jean. I now I recognize you.
- Sweetheart, be careful. Go say to my wife that I come back from afar, and that she must come here to speak to me in secret.   
The young girl obeyed; but her sister didn't want to believe what she heard.
- My sister, poor lies. For my misfortune, Jean of Calais died. He will never come back, ever. Go look at this poor man, and to speak to him once again.
The damsel obeyed, and came back almost immediately.
- My sister, you can believe me. Jean of Calais has come back.

Then, the two sisters went down secretly to the stable, and the eldest recognized Jean of Calais.
- You are my husband! You are my husband!
- Say nothing, poor woman. We will talk later. Now, let's go up quickly to your room.
What was said was done. Once in the room, Jean pushed the bolts, and closed the door double-locked.
- Wife, quickly a sword. Good. And now, quickly, scissors. Quickly, a razor and soap. Quickly, the white linen, and beautiful dresses. Good. And now, quickly dress as a bride.
The woman obeyed. While she dressed as a bride, Jean cut his hair, shaved his beard, put on the white linen, put on his best clothes, and girt his sword.
- Hey well, woman, do I have still the air of a poor beggar?

At that moment, a big noise of drums and trumpets made itself heard. Before the castle, thirty thousand men came to arrange themselves in battle, thirty thousand men ordered by two crowned kings dressed in gold, and mounted on white horses.
- Wife, watch. Look at your father, the king of Lisbon in Portugal. Since seven years, the old brave man got tired of waiting for us. Here he comes to look for us, in the company of the king of France, Listen, woman, run quickly to find them. Make as if you wanted to marry the steward. Make as if I was not there, and count on me to arrive at the right moment.
The woman obeyed.
- Hello, king of France. Hello, father. Hold, here is my younger sister. We are happy, very happy to see you again.
- Let's Kiss, my daughters, and let's thank the king of France. Without him, I would still be looking for you. And now, prepare yourselves to follow me. In three days, we will be in Bordeaux. In four, we will be embarked for Lisbon in Portugal.
Then the steward spoke.

- King of Lisbon in Portugal, listen. Three years ago, day for day, your eldest daughter promised me marriage. I intend that she acquits her promise.
- My daughter, answer. Does this man say the truth?
- Father, this man says the truth. But I promised him marriage, because he frightened me, and because he swore to me on his soul that my husband, Jean of Calais, had died drowned in the big sea.
- Madam., I swear it again by my soul. Jean of Calais died drowned in the big sea. You promised me marriage. I intend that you acquit your promise. King of France, judge us.
Then,  Jean of Calais appeared.
- King of France, judge us. This man lied like a dog that he is. I am Jean of Calais. Be witnesses, mistresses and valets of this castle.
- Yes, yes, this man is Jean of Calais.
- Thank you, brave people. King of France, I take my wife. But you didn't finish to judge. King of France, I had made of this man to be my big friend. By treason, he threw me in the big sea. But I didn't drown there. A big White Bird rescued me. On a beam I floated three days, without food or drink nor, without seeing anything but the sky and water. Finally, I landed on a rock, on a rock without trees nor greenery. There, during seven years, the big White Bird fed me. Every week, it brought me a loaf of bread, and a jar of wine. This morning, at the dawn, the big White Bird told me: Jean of Calais, sad things happen at home. Today, your wife will be forced to marry her steward, the traitor who threw you in the big sea. Jean of Calais, promise me the half of that that you like best, and in one hour you will be on the doorstep of your castle. I promised, and the big White Bird kept his word.
 King of France, judge us answered the steward, this man lied. I swear it by my soul.
- Traitor. There is a Good God in the sky. God is just. Pull your sword, and let's make battle. At that moment, a big White Bird came to perch on the highest tower of the castle. Of the top of the tower of the castle, the big White Bird spoke.

- King of France, listen. I am a good witness. Those that are in paradise don't come back from it to lie. King of France, I am the soul of a dead poor man. Farther than Marmande, my body lay very close to the Garonne, naked like a worm, and gnawed by the dogs. So is the custom of this country, when a man dies without paying for his debts. Jean of Calais paid for me. He made me carried to the cemetery. He made me to be said Mass. He came, at midnight, to pray on my grave. Here is how Jean of Calais made me service. I didn't forget it. Here is why I rescued him on the sea, and fed him seven years on a rock, on a rock without trees nor greenery. Here is why I carried him, in one hour, on the doorstep of your castle. King of France, Jean of Calais has the right. I don't want that he makes battle against the traitor who threw him in the big sea.
The big White Bird was quiet. Then, the king of France summoned the executioner and his valets.
- Executioner, here are a hundred pistoles. Take this worthless thing, and hang draw and quarter him. The executioner and his valets attached a horse at every arm and the stewards leg, and gave the four beasts cracks of the whip.

- Hoots! hoot! nags! Hoot! collars! Hoot, therefore.
Here is how the steward perished quartered.
Then, of the top of the tower, the big White Bird spoke.
- King of France, you ordered according to justice. Yet, you didn't finish to judge. Before you, Jean of Calais confessed that he had promised me the half of that that he likes best. I intend that he acquits his promise. What he likes best, it is his child. I intend that he cuts it in two, and that he gives me half of it.
- Jean of Calais, said the king of France, you promised. It is necessary to pay. Pull your sword, and make two portions of your child.
- King of France, I want to pay double. Hold, big White Bird, take my entire child.
- Jean of Calais, you promised me half of it. I only want half of it. Obey the king of France. Pull your sword, and make two portions of your child.
Jean pulled his sword. He was pale like the dead.
- Jean of Calais, stop, shouted the big White Bird. What you had promised me, I give it to you. Keep your entire child. Jean of Calais, you made me service. I paid you. We are even. Farewell. I will return to paradise.
And the big White Bird flew off. No-one never saw it again, ever.
The following day, Jean of Calais and everyone embarked from Bordeaux. One month after, they were in Lisbon in Portugal. Then, the king said to his son-in-law:
- Jean of Calais, I am old. Henceforth, I intend that you command in my place.
What was said was done. Jean commanded according to right and justice, and lived happily a long time among his own.