THE SCENE: Compared to the modern era, the middle ages were certainly scarce in entertaining pastimes. Still, intervening in the sex lives of birds seems like a particularly unworthy use of time.
THE TEXT: A certain knight had a very beautiful castle, upon which two storks built their nest. At the foot of this castle was a clear fountain, in which the storks were wont to bathe themselves. It happened that the female stork brought forth young, and the male flew about to procure food. Now, while he was absent, the female admitted a gallant; and before the return of the male went down to the fountain to wash herself, in order that the other might perceive no disorder in her appearance. But the knight, often observing this with wonder, closed up the fountain, that the stork might no longer wash or bathe herself. In this dilemma, after meeting her lover, she was obliged to return to her nest; and when the male came and saw by various signs that she had been unfaithful, he flew away, and brought back with him a great multitude of storks, who put the adulterous bird to death, in presence of the knight.
– Gesta Romanorum, 13th Century AD
[Image Credit: Stork Nest by Thomas Habermann]
