Page:Witty & entertaining exploits of George Buchanan.pdf/17

17 you what you will have for yourself and your horse, answer nothing but "What you will," Sir. George smiling within himself, to think how he had got the one extortioner to take amends of the other. So this innkeeper set off on his journey, and rode so late that night that he might reach the cheap inn, that most of the people were gone to bed before he arrived. As soon as he dismounted from his horse, the boy enquired at him: what shall I give your horse, master 1 To which he answered, "What you-will," boy. The boy hearing this, runs away (leaving him and his horse to stand at the door) up stairs to his master's room, crying, master, water, What-you-will" is come again. O the rogue, cries he, where is het I'll cane him-I'll what you will him by and by. Then to him he runs with his cane, licks and kicks him until he was source able to mount his horse, and would give him no enter- tainment there, which caused him to ride the whole of a cold winter's night, after he had got his bones all bent and bruised. So the one pursued the other as a murderer and his defence was, that he was a cheat and a scorner of his house, until the truth was found out. 6. About this time, the French king sent and demanded from the king of England, three men of different qualities. The first was to be a mighty strong man; the second a very wise man; and the third a very great fool; so that he might have none in all France to match them. So, accordingly, there were two men chosen; the one a strong man, and the other a very wise man, but George was to act as the fool; nevertheless, he was the teacher of the other two. On their way to France, George asked the strong man, what will you answer the