The carle who all would gather, all has lost.’”
“There is something very Eastern about this tale,” remarked Herbert at its conclusion.
“It is found in the old Greek monk’s legend of Barlaam and Josaphat,” replied Lathom, “to whom it is more probable that it came from the East than from any other source.”
“Such a story, I should suppose, has been freely used by later writers,” said Thompson.
“It appears in the Disciplina Clericalis of Alphonsus, in The Golden Legend of Caxton, and in Lydgate under the title of ‘The Chorle and the Bird’; but besides these and Mr. Way, whose version I have just read you, I cannot discover any other writers who have made use of this fiction.”
“The moral of this fiction explains itself,” said Herbert. “I presume the author is content with the plain meaning.”
“Yes, for this once,” rejoined Lathom; “but be content, the next story will satisfy the greatest lover of allegories; for curious, indeed, is it as an instance, even among curiosities, of the once common practice of converting every thing into allegory.”
“How is it entitled?” asked Thompson.
“‘Of the Burdens of this Life’; in form it is a dialogue between a scholar and his master, who might well be supposed to change places with each other. You must be content with Mr. Swan’s version.”