arraied in this maner.' In this maner is the husbond disceived of
his wif."[1]
To this the disciple: "What I have heard is wonderful; but I wish thou wouldest give me more advice, for the more I consider the nature of those women the more I am concerned about my own protection." The master replied: "To this end I will tell you a third tale and then our exempla will suffice for thy instruction." The disciple: "If it please thee."
IX.[2] The Mother-in-Law With the Drawn Sword.
It is also had in relacioun that suche a pilgrym commytted his
wif to his stepmoder to kepe. The wif secretly loved a yong man ;
that to hir moder redily she told and shewed. She forsoth consentyng
to the lover arraied a feeste and cald hym therto; whiche
so feestyng the husbond cam and knocked at the gate. The wif
therfor aros and lete the husbond [enter]. But the Moder with the
doughters love remayneng, forwhy ther was no place wher to huyde
hym, doubted what she and he shuld do. But while the doughter
opened the dore vnto hir husbond thold wif tooke a naked swerd
and yaf to the lover [and] bad hym to stonde streight bif ore thentre
of hir doughters husbond with the same swerd drawen. 'And if the
husbond saye ought vnto the, aunswer nat ageyn.' And he dide as
he was boden. The dore opened [and] the husbond seeyng hym
standyng so askid hym what he was; the whiche aunswerd nat. Than
if he were abasshed at the first sight, in that he yaf non aunswer, he
drad moche more. Than thold wif aunswerd: 'Dere sone, be stille
lest any man here the.' To that he wondryng saide: 'What is that,
faire dame?' Than thold wif: 'Thre yong men pursued this man
hider and we than opened the dore [and] suffred hym to entre thus
with his swerd til thei wern gon that wold have slayne hym.
Whiche now dredith the to be oon of theym, is astonyed and aunswerith
nat.' Than the husbond saide: 'Wele mote ye fare that in
this maner han delyvered hym from deth.' And so entrying [he]
cald his wifes love and made hym to sitte with hym. And so with
swete spechis sported hem and at nyght leete hym go."[3]
- ↑ For this sentence see Latin I, 15, l. 12 f.
- ↑ No. XI in the original, I, 15, l. 16 ff.
- ↑ The Worcester version omits the tale which follows this immediately in the Latin, (No. XXII) The King and his Jester or Storyteller (cf. I, 16, l. 9); but since the tale in a slightly different version was printed by Caxton in 1483 (see Introduction p. 9), I supply this lacuna by reprinting it from Caxton's first edition. There it is No. 8, 'The eyght fable is of the discyple and of the sheep.'
