P R E F A C E .

sometimes adding to it parables, historical events, occurrences, and other things that do not conflict with the truth of the History of the subjectDutch: "History haarder zake." This refers to the core factual narrative found in the primary sources.: A similar course has been followed here: for the Wandering Soul, as a pilgrim, first inquires of Adam about the events of his time, of which he gives an account, as far as his lifespan reaches: for Adam (as the Holy ScriptureDutch: "H. Schrift." A common abbreviation for the Bible. testifies) lived nine hundred and thirty years, namely until the 308th year of Enoch, so that he was able to tell incomparably more than the Old NestorA figure from Greek mythology and the Iliad, Nestor was a king famous for his wisdom and for living through three generations of men—though his age is far surpassed by the biblical patriarchs mentioned here. among the Greeks, who was attributed 200 years; besides that his account is instructive and true, whereas the other may be considered fabulousDutch: "fabuleus." In this period, "fabulous" meant "belonging to fables or myths," implying the stories were legendary or fictional rather than divinely inspired truth.