He would fain have carried us first to bathe in the bagnios of the cardin-hawks, which are goodly delicious places, and have us licked over with precious ointments by the alyptes, alias rubbers, as soon as we should come out of the bath.  But Pantagruel told him that he could drink but too much without that.  He then led us into a spacious delicate refectory, or fratery-room, and told us:  Braguibus the hermit made you fast four days together; now, contrariwise, I’ll make you eat and drink of the best four days through stitch before you budge from this place.  But hark ye me, cried Panurge, may not we take a nap in the mean time?  Ay, ay, answered Aedituus; that is as you shall think good; for he that sleeps, drinks.  Good Lord! how we lived! what good bub! what dainty cheer!  O what a honest cod was this same Aedituus!

Chapter 5.VI.

How the birds are crammed in the Ringing Island.

Pantagruel looked I don’t know howish, and seemed not very well pleased with the four days’ junketting which Aedituus enjoined us.  Aedituus, who soon found it out, said to him, You know, sir, that seven days before winter, and seven days after, there is no storm at sea; for then the elements are still out of respect for the halcyons, or king-fishers, birds sacred to Thetis, which then lay their eggs and hatch their young near the shore.  Now here the sea makes itself amends for this long calm; and whenever any foreigners come hither it grows boisterous and stormy for four days together.  We can give no other reason for it but that it is a piece of its civility, that those who come among us may stay whether they will or no, and be copiously feasted all the while with the incomes of the ringing.  Therefore pray don’t think your time lost; for, willing, nilling, you’ll be forced to stay, unless you are resolved to encounter Juno, Neptune, Doris, Aeolus, and his fluster-busters, and, in short, all the pack of ill-natured left-handed godlings and vejoves.  Do but resolve to be cheery, and fall-to briskly.

After we had pretty well stayed our stomachs with some tight snatches, Friar John said to Aedituus, For aught I see, you have none but a parcel of birds and cages in this island of yours, and the devil a bit of one of them all that sets his hand to the plough, or tills the land whose fat he devours; their whole business is to be frolic, to chirp it, to whistle it, to warble it, tossing it, and roar it merrily night and day.  Pray then, if I may be so bold, whence comes this plenty and overflowing of all dainty bits and good things which we see among you?  From all the other world, returned Aedituus, if you except some part of the northern regions, who of late years have stirred up the jakes.  Mum! they may chance ere long to rue the day they did so; their cows shall have porridge, and their dogs oats; there will be work made among them, that there will.  Come,