Anecdota Oxoniensia. Semitic series.

STORY OF FEBRJ ONIA.

241

worth a great sum of money? And then you will let me return to
my sisters in the convent in which I was brought up; for I am
a virgin, and have lived in retirement in the convent, apart from
men, and serving God, to whom be praise!' Then the leader of the
band answered her and said: 'Here I am! What is it that thou wilt tell
me, and what is the secret which thou saidst was worth much money?'
So she said to him: 'My ancestors were wise, valiant, and warlike; Fol. 85 a
and they possessed a secret which they inherited from their ancestors,
and disclosed to no one else. They engaged in great wars, and they
returned in safety, without a wound to any one of them; and the
cause of this was that they knew certain names which they repeated
over the oil with which they anointed themselves; then they went
out to the wars, and neither the sword nor the arrow nor the spear
did any harm to them. Now this is what you stand in need of. If
therefore thou wilt let me go back to my convent, I will confer this
benefit upon thee, and show thee this great secret, and I will give thee
what I have of this oil; and if thou dost not believe my word, then
anoint with it whomsoever thou pleasest, and behold the truth of my
words.' Then he said to her: 'Anoint thyself with this oil; for no one
else will be easily persuaded to do so; nor will I make the experiment
upon any of my comrades.' So she said to him: 'Wilt thou swear to
me, before I reveal this secret to thee, that thou wilt let me go, and
restore me to my convent and the place in which I was brought up?'
Then he swore to her, saying: 'I will let thee go, and will not allow any
of my comrades to take thee captive.' Then she said to him: 'Let
me go back to my place with thee and no other, that I may take the
oil and anoint myself with it in thy presence.' So he went with her
into the convent; and she approached the picture of the Lady, and
prayed before it, and begged the Virgin to assist her to obtain deliverance; and then she anointed herself on the neck with oil of the lamp. Fol. 85 b
Then he said: 'I will not make the experiment except in the presence
of my comrades.' So he returned to them with her, and told them all
that had happened, and said to them: 'Know that I have sworn to
this maiden, that if her words prove true I will let her go, and will
allow none of my comrades to have power over her. Do you then
i i II. 7.]