The Tale of the Two Sisters

“The Tale of the Two Sisters,” a selection from the Fabula Clementis (Fables of Clement) by Bishop Medard of Clemens (c. 546 C.E.). Abridged and translated by Naomi Rodri.

There was at that time a noble lord by the name of Gregandaux of Tourend, who had taken as his wife a pious and devout woman. Fair was she, and she bore him a daughter who was called Gloriana, but before the child was several months old her mother was called to serve as the Lord’s handmaid. Because he was without a son, and because he did not wish to see his only daughter raised up without a mother’s guiding hand, Gregandaux resolved to take another wife. His heart was quickly enamored by one of his former wife’s serving women, a woman called Ryia. Though she was little more than a servant, Gregandaux quickly resolved to marry her, for so strongly had she ensnared him with her beauty and cunning words. His noble advisors came to him before the wedding day, and begged him to reconsider this match, for they had already seen the wicked ways of Ryia. But Gregandaux would hear none of this, so strong was his burning passion for the dark woman. So it came to pass that the Lord took her as his new Lady, and it was not long before she bore him a child, another daughter, who was called Dimia.

As Gregandaux’s daughters grew, it became clear that the two girls were as different as the brightest day and darkest night. Gloriana was as pious as her late mother had been, and was quiet and sweet as any girl child could be. Before she even had the power of speech, she used to hum along to the songs in services, and would listen with the most rapt attention when any holy person spoke. Her first word, in fact, was PAX, and ever afterwards she was known as a speaker of peace. Beloved of the young and old both, the child was both sweet of face and mild in manner. She loved the tales of the saints and holy people and used to recite them to the immense joy of the people in service to her father. When she was still far off from womanhood, she learned that several of the village people had nothing to eat because of a famine that had stricken the land. She would take no more food, and insisted that it be sent to the needy villagers instead. She quickly became known for this and many other acts of selfless generosity.

And yet, the poor child had no champion or friend in her step-mother, Ryia, who favored her own child beyond all others. As such, she raised up Dimia with excessive love and the child grew spoiled and difficult. As an infant, she would raise huge storms if denied any small thing, an unpleasant trait she carried till she was at the door of womanhood. If food or drink did not satisfy her, she would refuse it, or feed it to her many pets. From the time she was very small, she took the greatest pleasure in beautiful clothes, jewels and shoes. She would spend several hours at the beginning of the day arranging herself in front of her looking glass, admiring herself from every angle and styling her hair in a number of ostentatious fashions. As she grew into a woman, she developed a fondness for wine and love songs, and began to dress herself in gowns which exhibited her youthful body in the most improprietous ways. More than these insulting vanities, Dimia always detested religious observance; she would sleep during the services, or miss them all together. She wrote cruel songs about the holy bishops and monks in her father’s service, and would openly mock them. She scorned the poor and would never deign to offer charity to any man, no matter his struggles.

As it came to pass, the girls were quickly grown, and their father set about making marriages for them both. For Gloriana, it was decided that she should marry a barbarian king called Ranshai. The girl was terrified to leave her home and go live amongst the godless, but she fortified her heart with prayer and left her father’s home full of knowledge of the Lord’s divine mercy. Dimia was wed to a wealthy lord, called Favian, and she was elated to live a life surrounded by earthly comforts.

On their wedding day, the barbarian Ranshai was so struck by the piety of his new bride that he converted to the way of Christ the next day. Her goodness became legendary in her new home, and through the way of her most devout example, all the men in service to her husband eventually came to Christianity as well. It was through this manner that in that region of hostility, good Christian people could live in peace without fear of persecution. Gloriana became the mother of five sons, but through her benevolence she was like a mother to thousands. She gave generous grants of land to build several churches, so that the common people of the region could learn the way of the Lord. She eschewed the robes of queens, dressing instead in the simple fashions her new home. All her children grew up in the light of redemption as well, so like Helen, mother of Constantine, her piety inspired generations of powerful men. It would take pages to list all of the good and glorious things she did in the name of Christ, but she would never speak of them. So great was her humility, in fact, that she forbade any person to mention her name in praise or list the good works she undertook. At the end of her life, she retired to one of the monasteries she had founded, doing the simple work of any religious woman. But her new home was at peace, and prospered for generations. 

The same cannot be said of Dimia. After her wedding day, she took to courtly life with overzealous delight, indulging in food, wine and all the expensive earthly trappings of nobility. Quickly, these vanities escalated. Her blatant insults towards the church and the clergy made her many enemies, and righteous people were disgusted by her disregard for common decency and Christian observance. She gave lavish parties during Lent, and refused to hear complaints from even the most patient bishops. But still the Lord Favian was entranced by her, and would not suffer any criticism of his new bride. She had lured him in the most vile and base ways, appealing to his lust. Such behavior would have been insulting in a noble lady, but Dimia quickly came to influence her husband, pouring poison words in his ear, and egging him to make war against his neighbors. Because she knew nothing of council, and even less of war, Favian was fool to listen to his wife, and his acts of aggression were met in bitter defeat. But even after one such loss, the foolish lord did not learn to put aside his vicious bride, and instead followed her black words for ten more years, before their kingdom was all but destroyed. At this time, their home was sieged by an ancient foe, and Favian, Dimia and all their sons were executed. When the common people heard this news, they cheered to finally be free from the most wicked lady.