The Griffin, upon reaching his destination, landed in a green meadow by a stream, and began calling to people to come to him. Eventually two men, taking the very long way around on their way home, were unable to evade his eye. Nearly mute with fear, one managed to suggest that the Minor Canon might speak with the monster. The Griffin, disgusted to find them all such cowards, urged them to send the young man to him.
The Minor Canon was not overly pleased to receive this commission, but in due course, and for the good of the town, he set out, and found the Griffin, large as life and twice as ugly. The Griffin complimented young man upon his courage and explained the purpose of his visit was to see the large statue of himself upon the church.
Much relieved, the Minor Canon proposed that he return in the morning, when the light would be better, and then guide the Griffin to the very spot. the Griffin found this acceptable, and the Minor Canon, having won enough time to ensure that the streets would be empty when monster arrived, went home, only to be berated by his fellow townsmen for having invited the Griffin at all.
When morning came the two made their journey together and Griffin, was, upon the whole, pleased with his likeness. The Minor Canon, who had expected the monster to leave, having fulfilled the purpose of his journey, was surprised to find that the creature began to accompany him upon his daily round.
His fellow townsmen did not like their unnatural visitor, and urged the Minor Canon to leave town and go into the wilderness. They assumed the Griffin would follow the young man and they could continued life as before. In this they were wrong, for the Griffin took over the Minor Canon's duties. Never before had church attendance been so high, scholars so attentive, nor the sick so eager to rise from their beds. As for the poor, they vanished completely, for everyone was eager to work if only for their daily bread.
But the autumn equinox was drawing near and that was the time when the Griffin took one of his two yearly meals...
(to be continued)