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Chapter 1 Of the sorrowful voice which Pieter Gans heard in his garden, and of the flame running over the grass.
In the days when the Good Duke ruled over Brabant, there was to be found at Uccle, with its headquarters in the tavern of The Horn, a certain Brotherhood of the Cheerful Countenance, aptly enough so named, for every one of the Brothers had a wonderfully jolly face, finished off, as a sign of good living, with two chins at the least. That was the young ones; but the older ones had more.
You shall hear, first of all, how this Brotherhood was founded:
Pieter Gans, host of this same Horn, putting off his clothes one night to get into bed, heard in his garden a sorrowful voice, wailing: "My tongue is scorching me. Drink! Drink! I shall die of thirst."
Thinking at first that it was some drunkard below, he continued to get into bed quietly, notwithstanding the voice, which kept crying out in the garden: "Drink! Drink! I shall die of thirst." But this persisted so long and in so melancholy a manner that at last Pieter Gans must needs get up and go to the window to see who it might be making so much noise. Thence he saw a long flame, of great brightness and strange upstanding shape, running over the grass; and, thinking that it must be some poor soul from purgatory in need of prayers, he set about repeating litanies, and went through above a hundred, but all in vain, for the voice never ceased crying out as before: "Drink! Drink! I shall die of thirst."
After cock-crow he heard no more, and looking out again he saw with great satisfaction that the flame had disappeared.
When morning came he went straightway to the church. There he told the story of these strange happenings to the priest, and caused a fair mass to be said for the repose of the poor soul; gave a golden peter to the clerk so that others might be said later, and returned home reassured.
But on the following night the voice began its wailing anew, as lamentably as if it were that of a dying man hindered from dying. And so it went on night after night.
Whence it came about that Pieter Gans grew moody and morose.
Those who had known him in former days, rubicund, carrying a good paunch and a joyous face, wont to tell his matins with bottles and his vespers with flagons, would certainly never have recognized him.
For he grew so wizened, dried up, thin, and of such piteous appearance that dogs used to start barking at the sight of him, as they do at beggars with their bundles.
Chapter 1 Of the sorrowful voice which Pieter Gans heard in his garden, and of the flame running over the grass.
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Chapter 2 How Jan Blaeskaek gave good counsel to Pieter Gans, and wherein covetousness is sadly punished.
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Chapter 3 Of the songs, voices, mewlings, and sounds of kisses which Pieter Gans and Blaeskaek heard in the garden, and of the brave mien wherewith Master Merry-face sat on the cask of stone.
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Chapter 4 Wherein the two worthy men set out for Brussels, capital city of Brabant, and of the manners and condition of Josse Cartuyvels the Apothecary.
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Chapter 5 Of the long conversation and great perplexity of Pieter Gans and Blaeskaek in the matter of the deviling; and how they returned to Uccle with a resolution taken.
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Chapter 6 Wherein it is seen that the devil is not a good one; and of the evil trick which he played on the good wives of the drinkers.
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Chapter 7 Of the Great Parliament of the Women of Uccle.
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Chapter 8 Of the great wit which every woman has, and of the modest conversation which the maid Wantje held with the worthies at the inn.
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Chapter 9 Wherein it is seen that the learned Thomas a Klapperibus knew what makes a drinker fidget on his stool.
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Chapter 10 Of the brigand called Irontooth.
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Chapter 11 In which it is seen how bravely the good wives of Uccle did the duty of men.
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Chapter 12 Wherein Pieter Gans is nearer the stake than the wine-barrel.
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Chapter 13 Of the great wonder and astonishment of My Lord the Duke when he heard of the valour of the women of Uccle.
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Chapter 14 Of the three noble ladies and their great beauty.
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Chapter 15 How a prince of Araby was taken with love for the youngest sister, and what came of it.
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Chapter 16 Wherein it is seen how Satan persecutes those ladies who seek to escape from the world.
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Chapter 17 Of the voice of the divine bridegroom, and of the horseman in silvern armour.
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Chapter 18 How, by the command of God, the three ladies rode to adventure.
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Chapter 19 Of the diamond hammers, and foundations torn up from the ground.
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Chapter 20 Of the youngest sister and the beautiful angel.
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