Four fairies
had made it with great skill and mastery. (45) One represented
there geometry, how it estimates and measures the extent of the
heavens and the earth, so that nothing is lacking there; and then
the depth and the height, and the width, and the length; then it
estimates, besides, how broad and deep the sea is, and thus
measures the whole world. Such was the work of the first fairy.
And the second devoted her effort to the portrayal of arithmetic,
and she strove hard to represent clearly how it wisely enumerates
the days and the hours of time, and the water of the sea drop by
drop, and then all the sand, and the stars one by one, knowing
well how to tell the truth, and how many leaves there are in the
woods: such is the skill of arithmetic that numbers have never
deceived her, nor will she ever be in error when she wishes to
apply her sense to them. The third design was that of music,
with which all merriment finds itself in accord, songs and
harmonies, and sounds of string: of harp, of Breton violin, and
of viol. This piece of work was good and fine; for upon it were
portrayed all the instruments and all the pastimes. The fourth,
who next performed her task, executed a most excellent work; for
the best of the arts she there portrayed.
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