ighty hurry, and was every now and then belabouring the donkey with
a cudgel. The donkey, however, which was a fine large creature of the
silver-grey species, did not appear to sympathize at all with its rider
in his desire to get on, but kept its head turned back as much as
possible, moving from one side of the road to the other, and not making
much forward way. As I passed, being naturally of a very polite
disposition, I gave the man the sele of the day, asking him, at the same
time, why he beat the donkey; whereupon the fellow, eyeing me askance,
told me to mind my own business, with the addition of something which I
need not repeat. I had not proceeded a furlong before I saw seated on
the dust by the wayside, close by a heap of stones, and with several
flints before him, a respectable-looking old man, with a straw hat and a
white smock, who was weeping bitterly.

'What are you crying for, father?' said I. 'Have you come to any hurt?'
'Hurt enough,' sobbed the old man, 'I have been just tricked out of the
best ass in England by a villain, who gave me nothing but these trash in
return,' pointing to the stones before him. 'I really scarcely
understand you,' said I, 'I wish you would explain yourself more
clearly.' 'I was riding on my ass from market,' said the old man, 'when
I met here a fellow with a sack on his back, who, after staring at the
ass and me a moment or two, asked me if I would sell her. I told him
that I could not think of selling her, as she was very useful to me, and
though an animal, my true companion, whom I loved as much as if she were
my wife and daughter. I then attempted to pass on, but the fellow stood
before me, begging me to sell her; saying that he would give me anything
for her, well, seeing that he persisted, I said at last that if I sold
her, I must have six pounds for her, and I said so to get rid of him, for
I saw that he was a shabby fellow, who had probably not six shillings in
the world; but I had better have held my tongue,' said the old man,
crying more bitterly than before, 'for the words were scarcely out of my
mouth, when he said he would give me what I asked, and taking the sack
from his back, he pulled out a steelyard, and going to the heap of stones
there, he took up several of them and weighed them, then flinging them
down before me, he said, "There are six pounds, neighbour; now, get off
the ass, and hand her over to me." Well, I sat like one dumbfoundered
for a time