Disciplina Clericalis/Tale 1
I. The Half Friend.
Whan Arabs shude die [he] cald his sone vnto hym and saide: "Sey thow while I live how many friendes thow hast purchaced." The sone aunswerd and saide: "I arbitre and trust that I have purchaced mo than a hundred[1] friendis." Than the fader saide: "The philosophre saith, 'Ne praise thow nat a friend til thow have proved hym.' I sith the tyme that I was born and have lived vnneth I have purchased half a friend. Thow therfor how hastow purchaced a hundred?[1] Goo therfor to proeve hem all, as thow maist know if any be thy parfite friende." The sone said: "How counseilest thow that I shal proeve hem?" [The fader said]: "Sle a Calf and breke hym smal and put hym in a sack, so as the sack be infect with bloode withoutfurth, and than [go] to thi friende; sai thow; 'Dere friend, I have slayn a man; I pray the to burye hym secretely, so as noman shal have the suspect and so maistow save me'." The sone dide as his fader bad hym. Forsoth the first that he came to saide vnto hym: 'Bere the ded man with the vpon thi neck; so as thow hast don evil, so suffre thow satisfaccioun. Forsoth he shal nat entre in to myn house.' And when he had don so bi all, thei aunswerden the same. Therfor goyng ageyn to his fader [he] told hym what he (f. 119b) had don. Than the fader saide: "It happith to the as the philosophre saide to his sone. 'Many friendis bien nombred in prosperitee but a fewe in necessite.' Go to myn half friend that I have and see what he saith to the." He com and as he had saide to other he saide to this. The whiche saide: "Entre in to myn house; this is no seker place to be shewed vnto neighburghs." Therfor he sent out of his house his wif and al his houshold and digged a pitte. Whan he saw al thynges redy and arraied al thynges as it ought to be, he departed doyng thankynges, and therof rehersed vnto his fader what he had do. Forsoth the fader saide, "For suche oon the Philosophre saith: 'he is a veray triewe friend that helpith the whan al the world failith'." Then saide the sone to the fader: "Hastow seen any man whiche hath wonne or purchaced hym suche an holl friend?" [The fader answerd]: "I have nat seen that, but I have herd [it]." Than the sone: "Tel me of hym if happely I myght purchace me suche a friend." Than quod the fader: