Page:Merry tales of the wise men of Gotham (4).pdf/7

 held, and was hopping amongſt the graſs. Then was every man ready, with their clubs and ſtaves, halberts and other weapons, to kill the graſshopper. When they came almoſt to the place where the graſshopper was, ſaid one to the other, let every man croſs him. ſelf from the devil, for we will not meddle with him, ſo they returned again, and ſaid, we were bleſt this day that we went no farther. O ye cowards, ſaid he that left his fcythe in the meadow, help me to fetch my fcythe. 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 Go- tham 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 won- derfully in wading, I pray God that none of us did come from home to be drowned. Nay, marry, ſaid one to the other, let us ſee that, for there did twelve of us come out. Then they told themſelves, and e. very one told eleven. Said the one to the other, there is one of us drowned. They went back to the brook where they had been fiſhing, and fought up and down for him that was drowned, making great lamenta- tion. A courtier coming by, asked what it was they fought for, and why they were ſorrowful? Oh! ſaid they, this day we went to fiſh in the brook; twelve of us came out together, and one is drowned. Said the courtier, tell how many there be of you. One of them ſaid eleven; but he did not tell himſelf. Well ſaid the courtier, what will you give me, and I will find the twelfth man? Sir, ſaid they, all the money we have got. Give me the money, ſaid he; he thes began with the firſt, and gave him a ſtroke over the