So he held still his hunger until someone brought him
food. But when he was about to fall to it, then fell he yet into a
far further scruple. For then it came in his mind that he should
yet break his penance if he should eat any of that either, since he
was commanded by his ghostly father that he should not, for his own
food, hinder any other beast. For he thought that if he ate not
that food, some other beast might hap to have it. And so should he,
by the eating of it, peradventure hinder another. And thus stayed
he still fasting till, when he told the cause, his ghostly father
came and informed him better, and then he cast off that scruple and
fell mannerly to his meal, and was a right honest ass many a fair
day after.
The wolf now, coming from shrift clean absolved from his sins,
went about to do as a certain shrewish wife once told her husband
that she would do, when she came from shrift. "Be merry, man,"
quoth she now, "for this day, I thank God, I was well shriven. And
I purpose now therefore to leave off all mine old shrewishness and
begin even afresh!"
VINCENT: Ah, well, uncle, can you report her so? That word I
heard her speak, but she said it in sport to make her goodman
laugh.
ANTHONY: Indeed, it seemed she spoke it half in sport. For in
that she said she would cast away all her old shrewishness,
therein I daresay she sported.
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