Who begat Galehaut, the inventor of flagons;
Who begat Mirelangaut,
Who begat Gallaffre,
Who begat Falourdin,
Who begat Roboast,
Who begat Sortibrant of Conimbres,
Who begat Brushant of Mommiere,
Who begat Bruyer that was overcome by Ogier the Dane,
peer of
France;
Who begat Mabrun,
Who begat Foutasnon,
Who begat Haquelebac,
Who begat Vitdegrain,
Who begat Grangousier,
Who begat Gargantua,
Who begat the noble Pantagruel, my master.
I know that, reading this passage, you will make a
doubt within yourselves, and that grounded upon very
good reason, which is this—how it is possible
that this relation can be true, seeing at the time
of the flood all the world was destroyed, except Noah
and seven persons more with him in the ark, into whose
number Hurtali is not admitted. Doubtless the
demand is well made and very apparent, but the answer
shall satisfy you, or my wit is not rightly caulked.
And because I was not at that time to tell you anything
of my own fancy, I will bring unto you the authority
of the Massorets, good honest fellows, true ballockeering
blades and exact Hebraical bagpipers, who affirm that
verily the said Hurtali was not within the ark of
Noah, neither could he get in, for he was too big,
but he sat astride upon it, with one leg on the one
side and another on the other, as little children
use to do upon their wooden horses; or as the great
bull of Berne, which was killed at Marinian, did ride
for his hackney the great murdering piece called the
canon-pevier, a pretty beast of a fair and pleasant
amble without all question.
In that posture, he, after God, saved the said ark
from danger, for with his legs he gave it the brangle
that was needful, and with his foot turned it whither
he pleased, as a ship answereth her rudder. Those
that were within sent him up victuals in abundance
by a chimney, as people very thankfully acknowledging
the good that he did them. And sometimes they
did talk together as Icaromenippus did to Jupiter,
according to the report of Lucian. Have you
understood all this well? Drink then one good
draught without water, for if you believe it not,—no
truly do I not, quoth she.
Chapter 2.II.
Of the nativity of the most dread and redoubted Pantagruel.
Gargantua at the age of four hundred fourscore forty
and four years begat his son Pantagruel, upon his
wife named Badebec, daughter to the king of the Amaurots
in Utopia, who died in childbirth; for he was so wonderfully
great and lumpish that he could not possibly come forth
into the light of the world without thus suffocating
his mother. But that we may fully understand
the cause and reason of the name of Pantagruel which
at his baptism was given him, you are to remark that
in that year there was so great drought over all the
country of Africa that there passed thirty and six
months, three weeks, four days, thirteen hours and
