husbond was oute, saide to her maide, "late us ete the gret ele, and y wille saie to my husbond that the otour hathe eten hym"; and so it was done. And whan the good man was come, the pye began to telle hym how her maistresse had eten the ele. And he yode to the ponde, and fonde not the ele. And he asked his wiff wher the ele was become. And she wende to haue excused her, but he saide her, "excuse you not, for y wote welle ye haue eten it, for the pye hathe told me." And so ther was gret noyse betwene the man and hys wiff for etinge of the ele. But whanne the good man was gone, the maistresse and the maide come to the pie, and plucked of alle the fedres on the pyes hede, saieng, "thou hast discouered us of the ele"; and thus was the pore pye plucked. But euer after, whanne the pie saw a balled or a pilled man, or a woman with an highe forhede, the pie saide to hem, "ye spake of the ele." And therfor here is an ensaumple that no woman should ete no lycorous morcelles in the absens and withoute weting of her husbond, but yef it so were that it be with folk of worshippe, to make hem chere; for this woman was afterward mocked for the pye and the ele.
There is one story of a very good king[1] who has conscientious objection to compulsory military service. Unlike his modern imitators, he carries out his principles to their logical issue, and allows any one who wishes to steal his goods. He and his court, who obediently do as he tells them, are therefore buried up to the neck in the earth beside some dead bodies; but confident in their righteousness, they do not despair. In the night a troop of jackals attack them, but the king's conscience draws the line of passive resistance at a jackal. The king takes fast hold of a jackal's paw with his teeth, and the beast struggles so hard that he pulls up the king out of the pit wherein he had been digged. The king goes back to his palace, and finds his way to the usurper's bedside, where he stands sword in hand and awakens the usurper. The latter, seeing that he is in the king's power, says he will never do it again, and they swear eternal friendship. This is a story which would rejoice the heart of Mr. Stead and Mr. Haldane. With it may be compared the Volsung Saga.[2]
Besides these complete stories there are many episodes
