Page:Merry tales of the wise men of Gotham (1).pdf/10

 10 The MERRY TALES of the fetch my ſcythe. No, anſwered they, it is good to ſleep in a whole ſkin. It is much better for thee to loſe thy ſcythe, than to marr us all. TALE X ON a certain time there were twelve men of Gotham that went to fiſh; and ſome waded in the water, and ſome ſtood on dry land. And in going home, one ſaid to the other, we have ventured wonderfully in wadeing, I pray God, that none of us did come from home to be drowned. Nay, mar- ry, ſaid one to the other, let us fee that, for their did twelve of us come out. Then they told themſelves, and every one told eleven. Said the one to the other, there is one of us drown- ed. They went back to the brook where they had been fiſhing, and fought up and down for him that was drown- ed, making great lamentation. A cour- tier coming by, aſked what it was they fought for, and why they were for- rowful? Oh! ſaid they, this day we went to fiſh in the brook; twelve of us came out together, and oneis drown- ed. Said the courtier, tell how many there be of you. One of them ſaid e-