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TALE LXXVIII.

OF THE CONSTANCY OF LOVE.

THE beautiful daughter of a certain king was betrothed to a noble duke, by whom she had very handsome children. The duke died, and was greatly bewailed by the whole state. After his death her friends earnestly solicited the lady to marry a second time, alleging that her youth and beauty required it. But she answered, "I will never marry again. My departed lord was so good and kind; he loved me so truly, that when he died I thought I could not survive him. And if it were possible that I could forget what he has been, where shall I find another? Admitting that I should marry, perhaps my second husband would also precede me to the grave? Why then, my grief would be awakened a second time, and my

afflictions be as heavy as before! Moreover, if he were a bad man; it would, indeed, be torture to remember him who was good, while one so inferior had succeeded him. I am therefore determined to remain as I am."

APPLICATION.

My beloved, the king is God; the daughter the soul, betrothed to our Lord Jesus Christ.

TALE LXXIX.

OF PRESUMPTION.

THERE was a certain king who had a singular partiality for little dogs that barked loudly; so much so, indeed, that they usually rested

* See Tale LXXV. which is similar both in structure and reasoning.

in his lap. Being long accustomed to eat and sleep in this situation, they would scarcely do either elsewhere: seeming to take great pleasure in looking at him, and putting their paws upon his neck. Now it happened that an ass, who noticed this familiarity, thought to himself, "If I should sing and dance before the king, and put my feet round his neck, he would feed me also upon the greatest dainties, and suffer me to rest in his lap." Accordingly quitting his stable, he entered the hall, and running up to the king, raised his clumsy feet with difficulty around the royal neck. The servants, not understanding the ass's courteous intention, imagined that he was mad; and pulling him away, belaboured him soundly. He was then led back to the stable. (67)

APPLICATION.

My beloved, the king is Christ; the barking dogs are zealous preachers. The ass is any one who, without the necessary qualifications, presumes to take upon himself the interpretation of the word of God.

TALE LXXX.

OF THE CUNNING OF THE DEVIL, AND OF THE SECRET JUDGMENTS OF GOD.

THERE formerly lived a hermit, who in a remote cave passed night and day in the service of God. At no great distance from his cell, a shepherd tended his flock. It happened that this person one day fell into a deep sleep, and in the mean time a robber, perceiving his carelessness, carried off his sheep. When the keeper awoke and discovered the theft, he began to swear in good set terms that he had lost his sheep; and where they were conveyed was totally beyond his knowledge. Now the lord of the flock, nothing satisfied with his keeper's eloquence, commanded him to be put to death. This gave great umbrage to

the hermit before mentioned; "Oh heaven," said he to himself, "seest thou this deed? the innocent suffers for the guilty: why permittest thou such things? If thus injustice triumph, why do I remain here? I will again enter the world, and do as other men do."

With these feelings he quitted his hermitage, and returned into the world; but God willed not that he should be lost: an angel in the form of a man was commissioned to join him. Accordingly, crossing the hermit's path, he thus accosted him-" My friend, where are you going?" "I go," said the other, "to the city before us." "I will accompany you," replied the angel; "I am a messenger from heaven, and come to be the associate of your way."

They walked on to

When they had en

gether towards the city. tered, they entreated for the love of God * harbourage during the night, at the house of a certain soldier, who received them with cheerfulness, and entertained them with much

The common mode of supplication, and will be frequently` noticed in these volumes.

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