Just such another case fell out this same year:
for on a certain Friday, when the whole people were
bent upon their devotions, and had made goodly processions,
with store of litanies, and fair preachings, and beseechings
of God Almighty to look down with his eye of mercy
upon their miserable and disconsolate condition, there
was even then visibly seen issue out of the ground
great drops of water, such as fall from a puff-bagged
man in a top sweat, and the poor hoidens began to
rejoice as if it had been a thing very profitable
unto them; for some said that there was not one drop
of moisture in the air whence they might have any
rain, and that the earth did supply the default of
that. Other learned men said that it was a shower
of the antipodes, as Seneca saith in his fourth book
Quaestionum naturalium, speaking of the source and
spring of Nilus. But they were deceived, for,
the procession being ended, when everyone went about
to gather of this dew, and to drink of it with full
bowls, they found that it was nothing but pickle and
the very brine of salt, more brackish in taste than
the saltest water of the sea. And because in
that very day Pantagruel was born, his father gave
him that name; for Panta in Greek is as much to say
as all, and Gruel in the Hagarene language doth signify
thirsty, inferring hereby that at his birth the whole
world was a-dry and thirsty, as likewise foreseeing
that he would be some day supreme lord and sovereign
of the thirsty Ethrappels, which was shown to him
at that very same hour by a more evident sign.
For when his mother Badebec was in the bringing of
him forth, and that the midwives did wait to receive
him, there came first out of her belly three score
and eight tregeneers, that is, salt-sellers, every
one of them leading in a halter a mule heavy laden
with salt; after whom issued forth nine dromedaries,
with great loads of gammons of bacon and dried neat’s
tongues on their backs. Then followed seven camels
loaded with links and chitterlings, hogs’ puddings,
and sausages. After them came out five great
wains, full of leeks, garlic, onions, and chibots,
drawn with five-and-thirty strong cart-horses, which
was six for every one, besides the thiller.
At the sight hereof the said midwives were much amazed,
yet some of them said, Lo, here is good provision,
and indeed we need it; for we drink but lazily, as
if our tongues walked on crutches, and not lustily
like Lansman Dutches. Truly this is a good sign;
there is nothing here but what is fit for us; these
are the spurs of wine, that set it a-going. As
they were tattling thus together after their own manner
of chat, behold! out comes Pantagruel all hairy like
a bear, whereupon one of them, inspired with a prophetical
spirit, said, This will be a terrible fellow; he is
born with all his hair; he is undoubtedly to do wonderful
things, and if he live he shall have age.
Of the grief wherewith Gargantua was moved at the
decease of his wife Badebec.
