The Sixty and Seventh Adventure.
Touching the faults of the which our noble Master Owlglas had a few; for he was human, and in all human things is imperfection.
My worthy masters, truly must ye have seen how virtuous, how wise, how kind, how excellent a man was our noble Master Owlglass; so that as a mirror of honesty and simplicity ye mote admire him. But, alas! this present chronicler hath, with grief and sorrow, to confess, that even in this great man was there error; and it behoveth a true historian justly to set forth the imperfections of men as much as their marvellous excellencies. And thus, with scrupulous care, say I now, that Master Owlglass had, with his many noble qualities, the error of a short memory. Most strange is this defect in so great a person: yet is it true, that if he received money to pay to another, he forgat it; if he owed money to another, he forgat it; and in eating and drinking most of all was his memory treacherous and failing.
He sate at meat once in a noble house, where the folk were making excellent cheer, and where, for more than six hours, sate they eating and drinking; and Owlglass was with them, for he marked not the time. Yet, at last, it was meet they should rise up from the table, and depart each to his home. Then departed Owlglass also; and as he went, he passed by a house where they sate at supper, and the master of that house entreated him, that he should enter in unto them and eat. And so did he; for he had forgotten altogether, that for six hours he had dined. Then most excellently played he the guest at the table; and one that knew he had come from the feast spake unto him, saying: “Lo! my beloved Master Owlglass, how cometh it that ye eat so well now, having lately at the banquet so lustily eaten?” And Owlglass answered: “Did I so? That have I forgotten; for I have the misfortune to carry with me a belly that lacketh memory in every wise.”
The Sixty and Eighth Adventure.
How that Owlglass at Dresden became a carpenter, and for his pains earned little thanks.
Soon departed Owlglass, and came unto Dresden, near unto the Bohemian forest, upon the Elbe water, and there proclaimed that he was a carpenter. And it fortuned, that a master carpenter in the town heard of him, and hired him to be his journeyman; for his man had departed from him, and he lacked some one to be man unto him. And as in this world of ours, my masters, there be pleasure and gadding about and weddings as well as woe and buryings, so fortuned it, that at that time there was in the town such a wedding, and thereunto was the master carpenter bidden. And he spake unto Owlglass, saying: “Good fellow of mine, unto this wedding must I go, and to-day shall I not return home again. Do thou, therefore, labour diligently, and bind me these four table boards most cunningly together with glue.” And Owlglass answered, and said unto him: “Yea; but which of these belong together?” Then laid the master the table boards together as he would have them joined, and gat him forth with his wife unto the wedding.
Then did our Owlglass, that pious man, diligently go to work, and, after his manner of doing all things wrong, took the four table boards, and bored holes in them, and laid them one upon the other. Then set he the glue-pot on the fire, and heated it, and with the brush glued all the boards together, and carried them up stairs unto the top of the house, and put them forth out of the window to dry, and then kept he holiday all the eventide. And at night cometh the master home, and well had he drunken at the festival. Then spake he unto Owlglass, and said unto him: “How hast thou laboured during the day?” And Owlglass answered, and said: “Lo! my good master, verily have I done that which thou didst bid me to do, and joined the boards together with glue, and then made I an early holiday at eventide.” And therewith was his master right well pleased and content; and he said unto his wife: “In good sooth is this a most excellent serving-man, and he doth with great diligence fulfil that which I have commanded him. Therefore must we hold him in great honour and esteem.” These words spoken, he gat him to bed.
And when that it was day he arose, and so did also Owlglass; and the master bade Owlglass that he should bring unto him the table that he had made. Then went Owlglass unto the loft, and brought down the boards all glued together and marred. And when that the master saw how the work was spoiled, he said unto Owlglass: “Where didst thou learn the art of carpenter’s work?” And Owlglass answered, and said: “Wherefore ask ye me this thing?” Then said the master: “Forasmuch as thou hast marred me much costly wood in thy labour.” When that Owlglass heard this he was greatly moved, and said: “Nay; but, master, I did only that which ye commanded, and if that I marred the wood, it is thy fault, not mine.” Then was the master right wroth, and said unto him: “Thou knave, get ye forth from my house, and be gone from my workshop; for of thy work have I no profit.” Thus departed Owlglass, and very little thanks earned he for his labour.
The Sixty and Ninth Adventure.
How that Owlglass did hire himself unto the master of a saw mill.
As Owlglass journeyed on from place to place, it fortuned that he passed hard by a saw-mill, at a time when the men were diverting themselves, and eating their suppers, the which a maiden servant had brought unto them. Owlglass then conferred with the men, and told them of his many marvellous adventures, the which he was not unmindful of extolling. Thereat came the master, and listened with an attentive ear. Now, it happened, that the manners of Owlglass pleased the master of the saw-mills much, and he took great delight in his merry jests. Then Owlglass told him he was a carpenter, and had also worked in saw-pits, which caused the master to move him to tarry, for he might have as much work there as it pleased him to do. Thereat did Owlglass consent unto him; and in order that the bargain might at once be shewn of effect, he sate himself down, and did eat of the supper; nor did he seem after that in any wise strange at that house, but did eat with so much appetite, that in truth it appeared unto all as if he had eaten of that fare all his life.