The Ninety and Ninth Adventure — How That Owlglass Gat Him to the High School of Paris
Once Owlglass gat him as far as Paris, that learned city, at a season when the examination for licentiate was going forward. And he went in and stood over against the one who on the stool sate and looked upon him. Then the learned doctor said unto him: “What wouldst thou have! Dost thou desire to say aught unto me?” Then Owlglass took counsel within himself, and said: “Yea, most learned, I have a most difficult question I would desire resolved. Thus: Is it better for a man to do that which he knoweth, or to learn that which he knoweth not? Make the doctors the books, or the books the doctors?” And at this question marvelled everyone, and disputed thereupon; and the greater number thought that it was better that a man should do that which he knoweth, than that he should first learn that which he knoweth not. Then said Owlglass: “Then what fools must all of ye here be, in that ye ever crave to learn that which ye know not, and what ye know, that do none of ye.” Then departed he with great scorn of pedants and scholars.
The Hundredth Adventure.
How Owlglass would fain have been an innkeeper at Rouen, but was beguiled by a one-eyed man, and again, in turn, cozened him.
In the town of Rouen, it fortuned that there was a certain tax to be taken from those who desired to keep an inn, which was named the Sign-tax, for to set up a sign you must give a crown, and of this tax a one-eyed man was the receiver. Owlglass thought to keep an inn, but could never have permission from this man to put up a sign unless he would give him a piece of gold, for that they had had a quarrel at some time before. But at last he was obliged to give a piece of gold, and he set his mind to make the receiver sorry for having taken it. So soon, therefore, as he might set up a sign, Owlglass had a one-eyed man painted, to whom another man was giving a piece of gold, and underneath he had written, “Au Borgne qui prend.”11 Those who beheld that sign, and who knew the story, laughed much thereat; and when it came unto the ears of the tax-receiver, he was very angry, and went and laid his complaint before the judge. Owlglass was cited to come to answer the complaint, the which he did at once, and confessed that he had set up the sign in shame of the man who had so cheated him; upon which the judge commanded the other to be sworn, who then said it was true he had taken so much money, and offered to return it. This he was ordered to do; and Owlglass was commanded to alter his sign, but all that he did was to paint out the p in the writing, which thus read: “Au Borgne qui rend;”12 for in sooth it was not easy to discover in the painting whether the man was giving or taking the gold-piece. Thus Owlglass satisfied justice, and the judge would not hear the second complaint.
Notes
11. To the one-eyed man who takes.
12. To the one-eyed man who returns.