Читать книгу The Marvellous Adventures and Rare Conceits of Master Tyll Owlglass - Robert Henderson Mackenzie Kenneth - Страница 4

How that Owlglass when that he was a child did give a marvellous answer to a man that asked the way

Upon a time went the father and mother of Owlglass forth, and left Owlglass within the house. Then came a man riding by, and he rode his horse half into the house in the doorway, and asked: “Is there nobody within?” Then answered the child: “Yea, there is a man and a half, and the head of a horse.” Then asked the man: “Where is thy father?” and the child made answer and said: “My father is of ill making worse; and my mother is gone for scathe or shame.” And the man said to the child: “How understandest thou that?” And then the child said: “My father is making of ill worse, for he plougheth the field and maketh great holes, that men should fall therein when they ride. And my mother is gone to borrow bread, and when she giveth it again and giveth less it is a shame, and when she giveth it and giveth more it is scathe.” Then said the man: “Which is the way to ride?” And the child answered and said: “There where the geese go.” And then rode the man his way to the geese, and when he came to the geese they flew into the water; then wist he not whither to ride, but turned again to the child and said: “The geese be flown into the water, and thus wot I not what to do nor whither to ride.” Then answered the child: “Ye must ride where the geese go and not where they swim.” Then departed the man and rode his way, and marvelled of the answer of the child. Thus from the mouths of babes cometh forth wisdom and ready conceit.