But see here;
thou didn't cut out thy mother's heart, did thou?"
"No; but if I had, maybe I'd have got my pottle o' brains," says he.
"Not a bit of it," says she; "just thou take me as I be, heart and all,
and I'll wager I'll help thee read the riddles."
"Can thee so?" says he, doubtful like; "I reckon they're too hard for
women folk."
"Well," says she, "let's see now. Tell me the first"
"What runs without feet?" says he.
"Why, water!" says she.
"It do," says he, and scratched his head.
"And what's yellow and shining but isn't gold?"
"Why, the sun!" says she.
"Faith, it be!" says he. "Come, we'll go up to the wise woman at once,"
and off they went. And as they came up the pad, she was sitting at the
door, twining straws.
"Gode'en, missis," says he.
"Gode'en, fool," says she.
"I reckon I've fetched thee the right thing at last," says he.
The wise woman looked at them both, and wiped her spectacles.
"Canst tell me what that is as has first no legs, and then two legs, and
ends with four legs?"
And the fool scratched his head and thought and thought, but he couldn't
tell.
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