6
The Merry Tales of the
thou shalt stand still for me. The man of Gotham seeing that his trivot would not move, Stand still, said he, in the mayor's name, and follow me if thou wilt, and I can show you the right way. When he went home, his wife asked him where the trivot was? He said, it had three legs, and he had but two, and he had taught him the ready way to his house; therefore he might come himself if he would. Where did you leave the trivot, said the woman? At Gotham bridge, said he. So she immediately ran and fetched the trivot herself, or otherwise she must certainly have lost it, on account of her husband's want of wit.
TALE VI.
A certain smith of Gotham had a large wasp's nest in the straw at the end of his forge; and there coming one of his neighbours to have his horse shod, and the wasps being exceeding busy, the man was stung by one of them. The man being grievously affronted, said, Are you worthy to keep a forge or not, to have men stung with these wasps? O! neighbour, said the smith, be content, and I shall put them from
