''
And the hermit said: ``Thou must then wake
and make many prayers.''
And Christopher said: ``I do not know how to
pray, so this I may not do.''
And the hermit said: ``Seest thou yonder deep
and wide river, in which many people have
perished? Because thou art noble, and of high
stature and strong of limb, so shalt thou live by
the river and thou shalt bear over all people who
pass that way. And this thing will be pleasing
to our Lord Jesu Christ, whom thou desirest to
serve, and I hope he shall show himself to thee.''
Then said Christopher: ``Certes, this service
may I well do, and I promise Him to do it.''
Then went Christopher to this river, and built
himself there a hut. He carried a great pole in his
hand, to support himself in the water, and bore
over on his shoulders all manner of people to the
other side. And there he abode, thus doing many
days.
And on a time, as he slept in his hut, he heard
the voice of a child which called him:--
``Christopher, Christopher, come out and bear
me over.''
Then he awoke and went out, but he found no
man. And when he was again in his house he
heard the same voice, crying:--
``Christopher, Christopher, come out and bear
me over.''
And he ran out and found nobody.
And the third time he was called and ran
thither, and he found a Child by the brink of the
river, which prayed him goodly to bear him over
the water.
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