| "No, no," the farmer
says. "The pleasure was all mine."
"What pleasure?" you asked. "Just take your cloak," he says. You accept your cloak back, and wipe off the fox hairs. You also notice several small holes where the chickens apparently pecked it quite enthusiastically. Shaking your head, you climb up the river bank and follow a path into the woods. A short time later, a wagon pulled by oxen comes by. "I can take you as far as Saint Ives," the driver says. You hop in. The oxen trod slowly forward. "Ya know," the driver says. "The other day, I was going to Saint Ives, and I met this man with seven wives. And each of the wives had seven bags, and you won't believe this, but there were seven cats in each bag -- " |