Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/383

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
OF THE BURDENS OF THIS LIFE.
371


TALE XCII.

OF THE BURDENS OF THIS LIFE.

A certain king once went to a fair, (102) and took with him a preceptor and his scholar. Standing in the market-place, they perceived eight packages exposed for sale. The scholar questioned his teacher respecting the first of them. "Pray," said he, "what is the price of poverty? that is, of tribulation for the love of God?"

Preceptor. The kingdom of heaven.

Scholar. It is a great price indeed. Open the second package, and let us see what it contains.

Preceptor. It contains meekness: blessed are the meek.

Scholar. Meekness, indeed, is a very illus-