Peter Alphonse, Disciplina Clericalis (English translation… (1919)
“ And anon after the kynge awoke the fabulatour and sayd to hym in this manere: 'I pray the that thow wylt make an ende of thy fable.' And the fabulatour ansuerd to hym in this manere: 'Syre, this ryuer is ryght grete and the ship is lytyll, [5] wherfore late the marzhaunt doo passe ouer his sheep; and after I shalle make an ende of my fable.' And thenne was the kynge wel appeased and pacyfyed. And therfore be thow (f. 129) content of that I have reherced vnto the. For there is folke so [6] superstycious or capaxe that they may not be contented with fewe wordes. ”
