he centre of all the
world round; then let me know how soon can I ride the whole world about;
and, lastly, tell me what I think."

"Your Majesty jesteth," stammered the Abbot.

"Thou wilt find it no jest," said the King. "Unless thou canst answer me
these questions three before a week is out, thy head will leave thy
body;" and he turned away.

Well, the Abbot rode off in fear and trembling, and first he went to
Oxford to see if any learned doctor could tell him the answer to those
questions three; but none could help him, and he took his way to
Canterbury, sad and sorrowful, to take leave of his monks. But on his
way he met his shepherd as he was going to the fold.

"Welcome home, Lord Abbot," quoth the shepherd; "what news from good
King John?"

"Sad news, sad news, my shepherd," said the Abbot, and told him all that
had happened.

"Now, cheer up, Sir Abbot," said the shepherd. "A fool may perhaps
answer what a wise man knows not. I will go to London in your stead;
grant me only your apparel and your retinue of knights. At the least I
can die in your place."

"Nay, shepherd, not so," said the Abbot; "I must meet the danger in my
own person. And to that, thou canst not pass for me."

"But I can and I will, Sir Abbot. In a cowl, who will know me for what I
am?"

So at last the Abbot consented, and sent him to London in his most
splendid array, and he approached King John with all his retinue as
before, but dressed in his simple monk's dress and his cowl over his
face.

"Now welcome, Sir Abbot," said King John; "thou art prepared for thy
doom, I see."

"I am ready to answer your Majesty," said he.

"Well, then, question first--where is the centre of the round earth?"
said the King.

"Here," said the shepherd Abbot, planting his crozier in the ground;
"an' your Majesty believe me not, go measure it and see."

"By St. Botolph," said the King, "a merry answer and a shrewd; so to
question the second. How soon may I ride this round world about?"

"If your Majesty will graciously rise with the sun, and ride along with
him until the next morning he rise, your Grace will surely have ridden
it round."

"By St. John," laughed King John, "I did not think it could be done so
soon. But let that pass, and tell me question third and last, and that
is--What do I think?"

"That is easy, your Grace," said he. "Your Majesty thinks I am my lord
the Abbot of Canterbury; but as you may see," and here he raised his
cowl