Many of Bebel's jests were repeated in J.P.

Lange's _Delicioe Academicoe_ (Heilbronn, 1665), a section of which was expressly devoted to "Mendacia Ridicula"; but the yarn itself is probably much older than either.

Similarly, the quaint legend of the thawing of the horn was told by Castiglione in his _Cortegiano_, first published in 1528.

This is how Castiglione tells it: A merchant of Lucca had travelled to Poland in order to buy furs; but as there was at that time a war with Muscovy, from which country the furs were procured, the Lucchese merchant was directed to the confines of the two countries.

On reaching the Borysthenes, which divided Poland and Muscovy, he found that the Muscovite traders remained on their own side of the river from distrust, on account of the state of hostilities.