Page:Comical history of the King and the cobler.pdf/4

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and old shoes to one side, to make room for the king to sit down.

The king being hardly able to forbear laughing at the kindness of the cobler, asked him if there was not a house hard by that sold a cup of ale, and the people up?

Yes, said the cobler, there is an inn over the way, where I believe the folks are up, for the carriers go from thence very early in the morning.

With that the king borrowed an old shoe of the cobler, and went over to                       the inn, desiring the cobler would bring his shoe to him thither as soon as he                       had put on the heel again. The cobler promised he would; so making what haste he could to put on the heel, he                       carries it over to the king, saying, hon- est blade, here is thy shoe again, and I                       warrant thee it will not come off in                        such a haste.