Ziito (fl. fourteenth century)

One of the most remarkable magicians that history has left record of. He was a sorcerer at the court of King Wenceslaus of Bohemia (afterward emperor of Germany) toward the end of the fourteenth century. Among his more famous exploits was one chronicled by Janus Dubravius, bishop of Olmutz, in his Historiae Regni Boiemiae (History of Bohemia, 1552). On the occasion of the marriage of Wenceslaus with Sophia, daughter of the elector Palatine of Bavaria, the elector, knowing his son-inlaw's liking for juggling and magical exhibitions, brought a number of morris dancers, jugglers, and other entertainers. When they came forward to give their exhibition Ziito remained unobtrusively among the spectators. He was not entirely unnoticed, however, for his remarkable appearance drew the attention of those about him. His oddest feature was his mouth, which reportedly stretched from ear to ear.

After watching the magicians for some time in silence, Ziito appeared to become exasperated at the halting way in which the tricks were carried through, and going up to the principal magician, he taunted him with incompetency. The rival professor hotly defended his performance, and a discussion ensued that was ended at last when Ziito allegedly swallowed his opponent, just as he stood, leaving only his shoes, which he said were dirty and unfit for consumption.

After this extraordinary feat, he retired for a little while to a closet, from which he shortly emerged, leading the rival magician by the hand. He then gave a performance of his own which put the former exhibition entirely to shame. He changed himself into many different shapes, taking the form of first one person and then another, none of whom bore any resemblance either to himself or to each other.

In a car drawn by barn-door fowls, he kept pace with the king's carriage. When the guests were assembled at dinner, he played a multitude of elfish tricks on them.

Indeed, he was at all times an exceedingly mischievous creature, as is shown by another story told of him. Pretending to be in want of money, and apparently casting about anxiously for the means of obtaining some, he at length took a handful of corn and made it look like thirty fat hogs. These he took to Michael, a rich but very mean dealer. The latter purchased them after some haggling, but was warned not to let them drink at the river. The warning was disregarded, the hogs drank, and they were turned into grains of corn.

The enraged dealer went in search of Ziito, whom he found in a vintner's shop. In vain Michael shouted and stamped. The magician took no notice, but seemed to be in a fit of abstraction. Eventually the dealer, beside himself, seized Ziito's foot and pulled it as hard as he could. To his dismay, the foot and leg came right off, while Ziito screamed lustily and hauled Michael before the judge, where the two presented their complaints. What the decision was, history does not relate, but it is unlikely that the ingenious Ziito came off worse.