“Thou shalt not,” said the one.
“I will,” said the other.
“Tut here,” said the one, and “Tut there,” said the other. Then they beat their staves against the ground one against the other, as if there had been a hundred sheep betwixt them.
“Hold them there,” said one.
“Beware of the leaping over the bridge of my sheep,” said the other.
“I care not.”
“They shall all come this way,” said the one.
“But they shall not,” said the other.
As they were in contention, another wise man that belonged to Gotham came from the market with a sack of meal upon his horse, and seeing and hearing his neighbours at strife about sheep, and none betwixt them, said he—
“Ah, fools! will you never learn wit? Then help me,” said he that had the meal, “and lay this sack upon my shoulder.”