old lord had shut themselves in to pray for the
Childe's success. When the third sound of the bugle was heard, they
were to release Boris, the Childe's favourite hound. But such was their
joy at learning of the Childe's safety and the Worm's defeat, that they
forgot orders, and when the Childe reached the threshold of the Hall his
old father rushed out to meet him, and would have clasped him to his
breast.

"The vow! the vow!" cried out the Childe of Lambton, and blew still
another blast upon his horn. This time the servants remembered, and
released Boris, who came bounding to his young master. The Childe raised
his shining sword, and severed the head of his faithful hound.

But the vow was broken, and for nine generations of men none of the
Lambtons died in his bed. The last of the Lambtons died in his carriage
as he was crossing Brugeford Bridge, one hundred and thirty years ago.

The Wise Men of Gotham

_Of Buying of Sheep_

There were two men of Gotham, and one of them was going to market to
Nottingham to buy sheep, and the other came from the market, and they
both met together upon Nottingham bridge.

"Where are you going?" said the one who came from Nottingham.

"Marry," said he that was going to Nottingham, "I am going to buy
sheep."

"Buy sheep?" said the other, "and which way will you bring them home?"

"Marry," said the other, "I will bring them over this bridge."

"By Robin Hood," said he that came from Nottingham, "but thou shalt
not."

"By Maid Marion," said he that was going thither, "but I will."

"You will not," said the one.

"I will."

Then they beat their staves against the ground one against the other, as
if there had been a hundred sheep between them.

"Hold in," said one; "beware lest my sheep leap over the bridge."

"I care not," said the other; "they shall not come this way."

"But they shall," said the other.

Then the other said: "If that thou make much to do, I will put my
fingers in thy mouth."

"Will you?" said the other.

Now, as they were at their contention, another man of Gotham came from
the market with a sack of meal upon a horse, and seeing and hearing his
neighbours at strife about sheep, though there were none between them,
said:

"Ah, fools! will you ever learn wisdom? Help me, and lay my sack upon my
shoulders."

They did so, and he went to the side of the bridge, unloosened the mouth
of the sack, and shook all his meal out into the river.