THE MERRY MONKS OF RIDDLEWELL
"Now, varlet," said the Abbot, as the ruddy-faced Cellarer
came before him, "thou knowest that thou wast taken this
morning in the act of stealing good wine that was forbidden thee.
What hast thou to say for thyself ? "
" Prithee, my Lord Abbot, forgive me ! " he cried, falling on
his knees. " Of a truth, the Evil One did come and tempt me,
and the cask was so handy, and the wine was so good withal, and—
and I had drunk of it ofttimes without being found out, and—"
"Rascal! that but maketh thy fault the worse! How much
wine hast thou taken ? "
" Alack-a-day ! There were a hundred pints in the cask at the
start, and I have taken me a pint every day this month of June—it
being to-day the thirtieth thereof—and if my Lord Abbot can tell
me to a nicety how much good wine I have taken in all, let him
punish me as he will/'
" Why, knave, that is thirty pints."
" Nay, nay ; for each time I drew a pint out of the cask, I put in
a pint of water in its stead ! '*
It is a curious fact that this is the only riddle in the old record
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