The humour of Italy; . ownvillage, when who should be the very first person that hemeets but his wife, who was not dead but living, whichgreatly afflicted him. A certain rich man had a son who had but little sense,and wishing to get him a wife, found a fair and gentle damsel;and her parents being willing to overlook the defects of theman for the sake of his riches, the marriage was the father, in order to hide as much as he could theimbecile foolishness of his son, admonished him to speaklittle, that his folly and light-mindedness might not be mademanifest. The son obeyed ; and
The humour of Italy; . ownvillage, when who should be the very first person that hemeets but his wife, who was not dead but living, whichgreatly afflicted him. A certain rich man had a son who had but little sense,and wishing to get him a wife, found a fair and gentle damsel;and her parents being willing to overlook the defects of theman for the sake of his riches, the marriage was the father, in order to hide as much as he could theimbecile foolishness of his son, admonished him to speaklittle, that his folly and light-mindedness might not be mademanifest. The son obeyed ; and when they were seated atthe wedding-feast it happened that not only he but all theothers kept silence, till at last a lady of more courage thanthe rest said, looking round at the guests, Surely theremust be a fool at this table, since no one ventures to speak !Then said the bridegroom, turning to his father, Father,now that they have found me out, pray give me permissionto talk 1 PROVERBS, FOLK-LORE, AND ANECDOTES. 291. 292 ITALIAN HUMOUR. A countryman, benumbed with cold, alighted from hishorse to walk on foot, and two Franciscan friars observingthis, one of them said to his companion, Had I a horse Iwould not be such a fool as to lead him by the bridle, butwould make use of him to carry me to the convent. Saysthe other, who was of a gay temper, I would play thiscountryman a trick, and steal his horse from him, if youwould but help me. The friar immediately consenting,both of them stole very softly up to the countryman,without his perceiving it; and one, slyly taking the bridleoff the horse, put it over his own head, while the otherwith a halter led the horse aside. Not long after thisthe countryman, intending to get on horseback again,turned himself about, but had like to have died withfear when he saw the change; and, uttering terrible criesfor help, he was stopped by the Franciscan, who went downon his knees before him, and begged him very humbly togive him his liberty, tel
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