. Jack asked them what it
signified; and they said, "that was the new wear, for the old was found
to be a superstition." Then he looked at them nearly; and there was a
new ulcer on the left ankle, and the old one on the right was not yet
healed.

"Now, may God forgive me!" cried Jack. "I would I were well home."

And when he was home, there lay his uncle smitten on the head, and his
father pierced through the heart, and his mother cloven through the
midst. And he sat in the lone house and wept beside the bodies.

MORAL

Old is the tree and the fruit good,
Very old and thick the wood.
Woodman, is your courage stout?
Beware! the root is wrapped about
Your mother's heart, your father's bones;
And like the mandrake comes with groans.

IX

THE FOUR REFORMERS

Four reformers met under a bramble-bush. They were all agreed the world
must be changed. "We must abolish property," said one.

"We must abolish marriage," said the second.

"We must abolish God," said the third.

"I wish we could abolish work," said the fourth.

"Do not let us get beyond practical politics," said the first. "The
first thing is to reduce men to a common level."

"The first thing," said the second, "is to give freedom to the sexes."

"The first thing," said the third, "is to find out how to do it."

"The first step," said the first, "is to abolish the Bible."

"The first thing," said the second, "is to abolish the laws."

"The first thing," said the third, "is to abolish mankind."

X

THE MAN AND HIS FRIEND

A man quarrelled with his friend.

"I have been much deceived in you," said the man.

And the friend made a face at him and went away.

A little after, they both died, and came together before the great white
Justice of the Peace. It began to look black for the friend, but the man
for a while had a clear character and was getting in good spirits.

"I find here some record of a quarrel," said the Justice, looking in his
notes. "Which of you was in the wrong?"

"He was," said the man. "He spoke ill of me behind my back."

"Did he so?" said the Justice. "And pray how did he speak about your
neighbours?"

"O, he had always a nasty tongue," said the man.

"And you chose him for your friend?" cried the Justice. "My good fellow,
we have no use here for fools."

So the man was cast in the pit, and the friend laughed out aloud in the
dark and remained to be tried on other charges.

XI