“Marry,” said they, “there is none at all.”
“Now, by my faith,” said he, “even as much wit as is in your two heads to stir up strife about a thing you have not.”
Which was the wisest of these three persons, judge yourself.
OF HEDGING A CUCKOO
Once upon a time the men of Gotham would have kept the cuckoo so that she might sing all the year, and in the midst of their town they made a hedge round in compass, and they got a cuckoo, and put her into it, and said: “Sing there all through the year, or thou shalt have neither meat nor water.” The cuckoo, as soon as she perceived herself within the hedge, flew away. “A vengeance on her!” said they. “We did not make our hedge high enough.”
OF SENDING CHEESES
There was a man of Gotham who went to the market at Nottingham to sell cheese, and as he was going down the hill to Nottingham bridge, one of his cheeses fell out of his wallet and rolled down the hill. “Ah, gaffer,” said the fellow, “can you run to market alone? I will send one after another after you.” Then he laid down his wallet and took out the cheeses, and rolled them down the hill. Some went into one bush, and some went into another.
“I charge you all to meet me near the marketplace”; and when the fellow came to the market to meet his cheeses, he stayed there till the market was nearly done. Then he went about to inquire of his friends and neighbors, and other men, if they did see his cheeses come to the market.
“Who should bring them?” said one of the market-men.
“Marry, themselves,” said the fellow; “they know the way well enough.”