Page:Witty and entertaining exploits of George Buchanan (15).pdf/13

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varieties, the one was to be a mighty ſtrong man, the other a very wiſe man, and the third a great fool; ſo that he might have none in all France to watch them in their ſtations. So accordingly there were two men choſen, the one a ſtrong man, and the other a wiſe man; but George was to act as a fool: nevertheleſs, he was the teacher of the other two. And on their way to France, George aſked the strong man, What will you anſwer the French King if he aſks if you be a ſtrong and I will ſay I am. Then ſays George, he'll get a stronger man than you, who may kill you and affront your country. What ſhall I ſay then, ſaid the ſtrong man? Why, ſays George, Tell him you are ſtrong enough untried. Then ſays George to the wiſe man, And what will you ſay to the King, when he aſks if you be a wiſe man? I will tell him I am, and anſwer all the queſtions I know. Very well, ſays George, and what if he all you what you do not know, then you will affront your country, and be looked upon as a greater fool than I. What ſhall I anſwer then? ſaid the wiſe man, Why, ſays George, tell him, He only is a wiſe man that can take care of himſelf; and I ſhall come in after you, and take care of you all together. No ſooner were they come to the King's palace, than the King ſent for them to try them. The ſtrong man being firſt called for, in he goes; then the King aſked him, Are you a ſtrong man, Sir? To which he anſwered, 'O King, I am ſtrong enough untried. Very good, ſaid the King. After him enter the wife man, to whom the King put the queſtion, Sír, are you a wiſe man? To which he anſwered, He only is a wiſe man that can take care of himſelf.' Very good, ſays the King; with that George puſhes up the door, and in he goes with loud laughter, piſſies directly in the King's face, which blinded both his eyes, and ſet the whole court in amaze. Now, now, ſays the King, It is true enough the wife man ſays, for if I had taken care of myſelf, I needed not been piſſed. upon by the Engliſh fool. O ho, ſays George, Fools always ſtrive to make fools of others, but wiſe men make fools of themſelves. The King imagined as much as he was made the greateſt fool, and charged them forthwith to go home, for he wanted no more of England's ſtrength, wiſdom, nor folly. One night after this a highland drover chanced to be as