中世紀的粗笑話

歷史小說Pope Joan （台譯《女教皇》，感謝駝鳥二號提供資料）裡，小瓊安逃家到 Dorstadt上學堂，初入贊助人的家，聽到大家唱的「異教」歌曲，嚇了好一大跳。接下來，眾賓客又鬧著要聽笑話，有個男人站起來講謎語：

“I heard of something rising in a corner…” He paused expectantly.

”A riddle!” someone cried, and the crowd bellowed its approval.

“One Haido’s riddles! Yes! Yes! Let’s have it.”

The man called Haido waited till the noise abated. “I heard of something rising in a corner,” he repeated, “swelling and standing up, lifting its cover. The proud-hearted bride grabbed at that boneless wonder with her hands…”

A knowing chuckle began to build among the guests.
“…the prince’s daughter covered that swelling thing with a swirl of cloth.” Haido’s smiling eyes raked the room challengingly.

“What is it?”

“Look between your legs,” someone shouted, “and you’ll find the answer right enough!” This was followed by more laughter and a barrage of obscene gestures. Joan watched in astonishment. This was a bishop’s residence?

“Wrong1” Haido retorted merrily. “You are all wrong!”
“The answer, then! The answer!” People shouted and banged their cups on the tables.

Haido paused a moment for dramatic effect.

“Dough!” he announced triumphantly, and sat down as a wave of shouting laughter shook the room.

台長讀到第一句的時候腦中就浮現麵團膨脹的樣子，根本沒想到那些「虧得男生才想得出來的 obscene gestures」！

不過，說到淫穢暗示，Donna Woolfolk Cross 經過七年考證才寫出這本模仿中世紀歷史背景和語言風格的小說，但是和喬叟和莎士比亞的葷笑話比，那真是小巫見大巫，不足觀也！