him find. God savë you, that bought again mankind, And you amend!” Thus said this oldë man; And evereach of these riotoúrës ran, Till they came to the tree, and there they found Of florins fine, of gold y-coined round, Well nigh a seven bushels, as them thought. No longer as then after Death they sought; But each of them so glad was of the sight, For that the florins were so fair and bright, That down they sat them by the precious hoard. The youngest of them spake the firstë word:
“Brethren,” quoth he, “take keep what I shall say; My wit is great, though that I bourde and play. This treasure hath Fortúne unto us given In mirth and jollity our life to liven; And lightly as it comes, so will we spend. Hey! Goddë’s precious dignity! who wend To-day that we should have so fair a grace? But might this gold he carried from this place Home to my house, or ellës unto yours (For well I wot that all this gold is ours), Then werë we in high felicitý. But truëly by day it may not be; Men wouldë say that we were thievës strong, And for our owen treasure do us hong. This treasure mustë carried be by night, As wisely and as slily as it might. Wherefore I rede, that cut among us all We draw, and let see where the cut will fall: And he that hath the cut, with heartë blithe Shall run unto the town, and that full swithe, And bring us bread and wine full privily: And two of us shall keepë subtilly This treasure well: and if he will not tarry, When it is night, we will this treasure carry, By one assent, where as us thinketh best.” Then one of them the cut brought in his fist, And bade them draw, and look where it would fall; And it fell on the youngest of them all; And forth toward the town he went anon. And all so soon as that he was y-gone, The one of them spake thus unto the other; “Thou knowest well that thou art my sworn brother, Thy profit will I tell thee right anon. Thou knowest well that our fellów is gone, And here is gold, and that full great plentý, That shall departed he among us three. But natheless, if I could shape it so That it departed were among us two, Had I not done a friendë’s turn to thee?” Th’ other answér’d, “I n’ot how that may be; He knows well that the gold is with us tway. What shall we do? what shall we to him say?” “Shall it be counsel?” said the