When the king came, and saw that the road had been blocked up, he was
very angry.
"Who chopped those trees down in my way?" he asked of two country lads
that were passing by.
"The men of Gotham," said the lads.
"Well," said the king, "go and tell the men of Gotham that I shall
send my sher-iff into their town, and have all their noses cut off."
The two lads ran to the town as fast as they could, and made known
what the king had said.
Every-body was in great fright. The men ran from house to house,
carrying the news, and asking one another what they should do.
"Our wits have kept the king out of the town," said one; "and so now
our wits must save our noses."
"True, true!" said the others. "But what shall we do?"
Then one, whose name was Dobbin, and who was thought to be the wisest
of them all, said, "Let me tell you something. Many a man has been
punished because he was wise, but I have never heard of any one being
harmed because he was a fool. So, when the king's sher-iff comes, let
us all act like fools."
"Good, good!" cried the others. "We will all act like fools."
It was no easy thing for the king's men to open the roads; and while
they were doing it, the king grew tired of waiting, and went back to
London.
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