ted all the poor worms of the earth unto a great solemn feast
that it pleased him upon a time--I have forgotten upon what
occasion--to prepare for them, the snail kept her at home and would
not come. And when Jupiter asked her afterward wherefore she came
not to his feast, where he said she would have been welcome and
have fared well, and would have seen a goodly palace and been
delighted with many goodly pleasures, she answered him that she
loved no place so well as her own house. With this answer Jupiter
waxed so angry that he said, since she loved her house so well, she
should never after go from home, but should always afterward bear
her house upon her back wheresoever she went. And so hath she ever
done since, as they say. And at least I know well she doth so now
and hath done so as long as I can remember.

VINCENT: Forsooth, uncle, I should think the tale were not all
feigned, for I think verily that so much of your tale is true!

ANTHONY: AEsop meant by that feigned fable to touch the folly of
such folk as so set their fancy upon some small simple pleasure
that they cannot find it in their heart to forbear it, either for
the pleasure of a better man or for the gaining of a better thing.
For by this foolish froward fashion they sometimes fall in great
disgrace and take by it no little harm.

And surely such Christian folk as, by their foolish affection,
which they have set like the snail upon their own house here on
earth, cannot, for the lothness of leaving that house, find it in
their hearts to go with good will to the great feast that God
prepareth in heaven and of his goodness so graciously calleth them
to--they are, I fear me, unless they mend that mind in time, like
to be served as the snail was, and yet much worse too. For they are
like to have their house here, the earth, bound fast on their backs
for ever, and not to walk with it where they will, as the snail
creepeth about with hers, but to lie fast bound in the midst of it
with the foul fire of hell about them. For into this folly they
bring themselves by their own fault, as the drunken man bringeth
himself into drunkenness, whereby the evil that he doth in his
drunkenness is not forgiven him for his folly, but to his pain is
imputed to his fault.

VINCENT: Surely, uncle, this seemeth not unlikely, and by their
fault they fall in such folly indeed. And yet, if this be folly
indeed, then are some folk fools who think themselves right wise.

ANT