The Merry Tales, &c.
They shall all come this way, said the other. But they shall not, said the one. Then said the other, if thou make much ado, I will put my finger in thy mouth. A turd thou wilt, said the other. And as they were in contention, another wise man that belonged to Gotham, came from the market with a sack of meal on his horse; and seeing his neighbours at strife about sheep, and none betwixt them, said he, Ah! fools, will you never learn wit! then help me, continued he, to lay this sack upon my shoulder. They did so, and he went to the side of the bridge, and shook out the meal into the river, saying, How much meal is there in my sack, neighbours? Marry, said one, none. Indeed, replied this wise man, even so much wit is there in your two heads, to strive for that you have not.—Now, which was the wisest of these three? I leave you to judge.
TALE II.
There was a man of Gotham that rode to the market with two bushels of wheat, and because his horse should not be damaged by carrying too great a burden, he was determined to carry the corn himself upon his own neck, and
