Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/427

Rh not," said the king, "that there is wine in this castle." He was told that there were five casks reposited in that place, but that without his permission the seneschal refused to draw wine from them. "Suffer me, my dear son," said the unhappy father, "suffer me at least to recruit my wasted form with the first of these casks." The son refused, alleging that it was new, and therefore prejudicial to old men. "Then," said the old man, "give me the second cask." "I will not do that," answered the king, "because it is kept for my own drinking, and for the young noblemen who attend me." "Yet you will surely permit me to take the third," continued his father; "No" replied the other, "it is very strong, and you are so weak and infirm that it would kill you." "The fourth cask then?" said he, "give me that."

"It is sour, and would do you much injury."

"But," urged the father, "there is a fifth, allow me to retain it." "Oh," said the king, "it is nothing but dregs; the noblemen sent it to destroy thee in case thou wert permitted to drink of it." The poor father hearing excuses like these, went away very sorrowful;