A certain priest having need to go to market, caused his mare to be
saddled and brought to his door. The mare had carried her master for
two years, and was high and well nourished, for during these years
never had she known thirst nor hunger, but of hay and of oats ever had
she enough and to spare. The priest climbed to the saddle and set out
upon his journey, and well I remember that it was the month of
September, for in that season mulberries grow upon the bushes in great
plenty and abundance. The priest rode upon his way repeating his hours,
his matins and his vigils. As he drew near the gate of the town the
path ran through a certain deep hollow, and raising his eyes from his
book the priest marked a bush thick with mulberries, bigger, blacker
and more ripe than any he had ever seen. Desire entered his heart, for
very covetous was he of this fair fruit, and gradually checking the
pace of his mare, he presently caused her to stand beside the bush. Yet
one thing still was wanting to his delight. The mulberries near the
ground were set about with spines and thorns, whilst the sweetest of
all hung so high upon the tree that in no wise could he reach them from
his seat. This thing the priest saw, so in a while he climbed up, and
stood with his two feet upon the saddle, whence by leaning over a
little he could pluck the fruit. Then he chose the fairest, the ripest,
and the sweetest of all these mulberries, eating them as swiftly and
greedily as he might, whilst the mare beneath him moved never a whit.
Now, when this priest had eaten as many mulberries as he was able, he
glanced downwards, and saw that the mare was standing still and coy,
with her head turned towards the bank of that deep road. Thereat the
priest rejoiced very greatly, for his two feet were yet upon the
saddle, and the mare was very tall.
"God!" said he, "if any one now should cry 'Gee up!'" He thought and
spoke the words at the same moment, whereat the mare was suddenly
frighted, and springing forward on the instant tumbled the luckless
priest into the bush where the thorns and briars grew sharpest and
thickest. There he lay in that uneasy bed, nor might move from one side
to the other, backwards or forwards, for all the money in the mint.
The mare galloped straight to her own stable, but when the priest's
household saw her return in this fashion they were greatly
discomforted. The servants cursed her for an evil and a luckless jade,
whilst the cook maid swooned like any dame, for well she believed that
her master was dead. When they were returned a little to themselves
they ran to and fro, here and there, about the country searching for
the priest, and presently on their way to the market town they drew
near to that bush where their master yet lay in much misease. On
hearing their words bewailing his piteous case, the priest raised a
lamentable voice, and cried--
"Diva, Diva, do not pass me by. This bush is an uneasy bed, and here I
lie very hurt and troubled and utterly cast down. Do you not see how my
blood is staining these thorns and briars a vermeil red?"
The servants hurried to the bush, and stared upon the priest.
"Sir," said they, "who has flung you herein?"
"Alas," answered he, "'tis sin that has undone me. This morning when I
rode this way reading in my Book of Hours, I desired over greatly to
eat of the mulberries growing hereon, and so I fell into the sin of
gluttony. Therefore this bush gat hold upon me. But help me forth from
this place, for I wish now for no other thing but to have a surgeon for
my hurts, and to rest in my own house."
Now by this little story we may learn that the prudent man does not cry
aloud all he may think in his heart, since by so doing many an one has
suffered loss and shame, as we may see by this fable of the Priest and
the Mulberries.