THE YEOMAN'S TALE OF GAMELYN

A knight lay dying. He summoned his neighbours to consult about the
division of his property between his three sons. The neighbours
debated together and decided to give all to the two eldest sons, and
nothing to Gamelyn the youngest, who was still a mere boy. This
division did not please the knight; so, rousing himself weak as he
was, he gave his own decision in the matter.

"John, my eldest son, shall have as much land as he can plough with
five ploughs. Such was my father's bequest to me. My second son shall
have five plough-lands too, for so much have I won with my own right
hand. But all my other possessions of land, of servants, and of
goodly steeds, I bequeath to Gamelyn. I beseech you, good neighbours
all, see my wishes fulfilled!" Saying this, he died, but, as Gamelyn
was too young to have the management of his property, all was given
into the charge of his elder brother till Gamelyn was grown up.

This brother, however, was no true knight, and let all Gamelyn's
property fall into decay, and kept Gamelyn himself in his house
rather as a servant than a brother, though in time Gamelyn grew so
tall and strong that the man who dared to anger him was brave indeed.

One day it chanced that Gamelyn stood in his brother's yard and
thought of all his good cornfields left unsown, and all his houses in
ruins and his noble oaks cut down through his brother's
mismanagement. As he stood and pondered thus, his brother John came
by and asked in a surly voice if dinner was ready. Gamelyn became
furious at this treatment. "Go," he cried to his brother, "and cook