"What art thou,"he said,"thou fine fell-ow?
Of thee I am in great fear,For the clothes thou wearest upon thy back Might beseem a lord to wear."--
"I never stole them,"quoth our king,"I tell you,sir,by the rood."--
"Then thou playest,as many an unthrift doth,And standest in midst of thy good."--
"What tidings hear you,"said the king.
"As you ride far and near?"--
"I hear no tidings,sir,by the mass,But that cow-hides are dear."--
"Cow-hides!cow-hides!what things are those?
I marvel what they be!"--
"What,art thou a fool?"the tanner replied;
"I carry one under me."--
"What craftsman art thou?"said the king,"I pray thee tell me trow.""--
"I am a barker,sir,by my trade.
Now tell me what art thou?"--
"I am a poor courtier,sir,"quoth he,"That am forth of service worn;
And fain I would thy 'prentice be,Thy cunning for to learn."--
"Marry,heaven forfend,"the tanner replied,"That thou my 'prentice were!
Thou'dst spend more good than I should win,By forty shilling a year."--
"Yet one thing would I,"said our king,"If thou wilt not seem strange:
Though my horse be better than thy mare,Yet with thee I fain would change."--
"Why,if with me thou fain wilt change,As change full well may we,By the faith of my body,thou proud fell-ow I will have some boot of thee."--
"That were against reason,"said the king,"I swear,so mote I thee:
My horse is better than thy mare,And that thou well may'st see."--
"Yea,sir,but Brock is gentle and mild,And softly she will fare;