two medieval parables

The Songbird and the Hawk by Der Stricker, 13th. c

"Early one morning a bird on a green bough was singing and was so engrossed in its song
that it forgot everything else. As it sat there, pouring forth the most lovely melody, a hawk swooped down and seized the bird with its talons. Then the singer's voice became shrill and it sang as those do who are struggling vainly for their lives.

Such is the rejoicing of the children of this world, who are so strongly attached to the world that they forsake God and fearlessly do whatever they please until death seizes and strangles them so quickly that help comes too late. Their joyful pastime thus comes to a worse end than that of the bid which sang until its singing brought death. The distress caused by its song ended with its death, but the sufferings of the world's children who die unrepentant are endless and manifold beyond measure."

The Last Judgment
Fernando Gallego, Francisco Gallego and Workshop, 1480-1488

The Salamander by Der Stricker, 13th c.

"A beast called the salamander, whose nature it is to live in fire, declared that he wanted to observe all the animals in order to see which of them pleased him most, for he wanted to lead this one into his realm as his lawful wife. After having studied every creature, he said happily that nothing could compare with the fly, for nobody in all the German lands could protect himself from her. Even the mightiest had to support her whether they liked it or not for she would eat and drink with them and sit on their clothing, quilts, and golden bowls. No lady ever pleased him more; her boldness made the fly worthy of a crown. But when the salamander married her and brought her into his fire, she was quickly consumed.

A certain monster is like the the salamander who lives in fire. This is the devil, who dwells in the fire of hell and is unwilling to let anyone escape it. He too seeks a bride of whom he will always be fond. When he has looked over the whole world, his cunning leads him to avoid other people and turn to the flies. Who are the flies? Those who think themselves very bold and fear neither God nor all the devils. They are akin to the flies. It is a great wonder that a fly should not be afraid to attack a king, but it is even more surprising, Christ knows, that anyone should be bold as to oppose God and pay no heed to His commandment, that he should live happily while striving mightily against God. That is how the devil recognizes them as flies. Of all the people in the world, he takes only the flies that he sees fight against God and thereby die unrepentant. He takes them as his bride, intending to keep them forever. So it is that, because of their fly-like spirit, the eternal Salamander leads them into the eternal fire that he tends. There he weighs and determines their reward, one so manifold that it can never be measured."