Give a woman food and dresses
(Chiefly when her trouble presses);
Give her gems and all things nice;
Do not ask for her advice.
And again:
Where a woman, gambler, child,
As a guide is domiciled,
Death advances, stage by stage—
So declares the ancient sage.
And once again:
Only while he does not hear
Woman's whisper in his ear.
May a man a leader be,
Keeping due humility.
Women seek for selfish treasures,
Think of nothing but their pleasures,
Even children by them reckoned
To their selfish comfort second."
And the weaver rejoined: "You may be right. Still, I shall ask her. She is a good wife."
So he made haste and said to her: "My dear wife, today we won the favor of a fairy. He offers anything we want. So I have come to ask you to tell me what to say to him. Here is my friend, the barber, who tells me to ask for a kingdom."
"Dear husband," said she, "what sense have barbers? Do not take his advice. For the proverb says:
All advice you may discard
From a barber, child, or bard,
