Page:Merry tales of the wise men of Gotham (9).pdf/10

 my fcythe. No, anfwered they, it is good to fleep in a whole fkin It is better for thee to lofe thy feythe, than to marr us all. TALE X. ON a certain time there were twelve men of Gotham that went to fifh ; and fome waded in the water, and fome ftood on dry land And in going home, one faid to the other, we have ventu- ren wonderfully in wadding, I pray God that none of us did come from home to be drowned. Nay, Marry, faid one to the other, let us fee that, for there did twelve of us come out Then they told themfelves, and every one told eleven. Said the one to the other, there one of us finely drowned, They went back to the brook where they had been fifhing, and fought up and down for him that was drowed, making great la- mentation for him.A courtier com- ing by, afked what it was they fought for, and why they were forrowful ? Oh! faid they, this day we went to fifh in the brook ; twelve of us came out. togethar,and one is drowned.Said the courtier, tell how many there be of you. One of them faid eleven; but