Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/177

Rh carry considerable sums of money along with them. If you think fit, let us kill this fellow, and get possession of his money." "You say well," returned the lady; and when all were asleep, at an early hour in the morning, the knight arose, and awaking the pilgrim, bade him begone. He then slaughtered a calf, cut it into small pieces, and placed its mutilated body in a sack. Arousing his wife, he gave her the sack to hide in a corner of the house, observing, "I have only deposited the head, legs, and arms, in the sack; the body is interred in our stable." He then shewed her a little money, as if he had taken it from the murdered pilgrim.

Now when the day approached on which he was bound to appear before his liege lord, he took upon his right hand a dog, and on his left his wife and unweaned child. As they drew near the royal castle, he put one leg over the back of the dog, as if he were riding, while with the other he walked; and thus as a pedestrian and equestrian, he entered the palace. When the king observed his cunning, he was greatly surprized. "But," said the judge, "where