Mönch Felix (>1400)
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Maere and Novellas
Mönch Felix (>1400)
von der Hagen, H.H.: Gesammtabenteuer. Hundert altdeutsche Erzählungen, 3 vols. Stuttgart/Tübingen 1850. Reprint Darmstadt 1961. Vol 3, Nr. 90, p. 613–623
MoeF-1:
The Cistercian monk Felix likes to read homilies. Felix is pious and humble and especially dedicated to the Virgin Mary. He spends his life on his knees in prayer thinking ruefully of his death and the devil’s pitfalls, despises all worldly honors and treats his fellow monks with humbleness. One morning after Prime he leaves the church absorbed in a book. He reads that in heaven there is eternal joy without misery. After a while he has second thoughts about this.
Motif References:
W 47 (Hi) Humility and modesty
W 48 (Ha) Piety
V 311 Belief in the life to come
MoeF-80:
God sends a little bird from heaven promising heavenly joy. It sings so beautifully that the monk closes the book and abandons himself to the bird’s song. The bird’s feathers are white as snow and the delighted monk attempts to catch it. He follows the bird which flies away from him never ceasing to sing. The monk is so ravished that he believes he has found paradise. When the bird eventually flies away the monk calls out to make it come back. He would give everything for the bird even the long life of St Elias and the emperor’s power.
Motif References:
F 11.1 Journey to heaven [or hell] in trance
B 172 Magic bird
B 172.2 Magic bird’s song. Brings joy and oblivion for many years
V 511.1 Visions of heaven
MoeF-146:
All of a sudden he hears the bell announcing noon. Worried the monk returns to the monastery. When he knocks, the porter comes out asking his name because he has never heard of him. Felix thinks that the porter makes fun of him but the porter tells him that he is on duty since thirty years and never has seen him.
Motif References:
W 158 Inhospitality
MoeF-175:
Felix recounts his experience with the bird but the porter regards him as being drunk and won’t let him enter. In dismay Felix assures the porter that he had sung mass in the morning in presence of the abbot. But the porter nevertheless regards him as madman. When he pleads to speak to the abbot the cruel porter eventually sends for him. The abbot comes together with the oldest monk to see the stranger. Felix recounts his story and the abbot regards it as god’s miracle.
Motif References:
F 900.1 Miracles (at certain times)
MoeF-310:
Felix is admitted and brought to the hospital to see a very old monk who had lived in the monastery for 100 years. The very old man remembers that when he had been neophyte a very pious monk with the name of Felix had lived there but had mysteriously vanished at the Prime. The abbot consults the necrology and finds Felix listed hundred years ago. Hundred years have passed although it merely seemed one hour to him.
Motif References:
F 377.1 Supernatural lapse of time in paradise
F 377.2 Year seems few hours in otherworld
F 571 Extremely old person
D 2011.1 Years seem moments while man listens to song of bird
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