20 SHAKESPEARE'S [ASS. 



bills in the wounds or in the sores, for the Ass should pass 

 from their nests. And though such a sparrow be full little, 

 yet unneath may the Ass defend himself against his rese, 

 pricking and biting. The raven hateth full much the Ass, 

 therefore the raven flyeth above the Ass, and laboureth with 

 his bill to peck out his eyes ; but the deepness of eyes 

 helpeth the Ass, and thickness and hardness of the skin, for 

 therewith the Ass closeth her eyes and heleth her sight, and 

 defendeth against the resing and pricking of fowls. Also 

 his long ears and moving thereof helpeth, for therewith he 

 feareth small birds, that rese to peck out his eyes. The 

 smoke of the Ass's hoof helpeth the birth of a child, in 

 so much that it bringeth out a dead child, and shall not 

 otherwise be laid to, for it slayeth a quick child if it be 

 oft laid to, and lieth too long time. And new dirt of the 

 same beast stauncheth blood wonderly. The Ass's milk, and 

 Ass's blood helpeth against the biting of a scorpion. And 

 men say, that if a man looketh in an Ass's ear when he is 

 smit with a scorpion, anon the malice passeth. Also all 

 venomous things fleeth smoke of the Ass's liver. Also the 

 Ass's milk helpeth against venomous plaster, and against the 

 malice of ceruse or of quicksilver. Also Ass's bones bruised 

 and stamped and sod helpeth against venom, if the broth 

 thereof be drunken. And urine of the male Ass with 

 Nardus keepeth and saveth and maketh much hair. And 

 the Ass dreadeth full sore to pass over water, and 

 scrapeth therein ; and the Ass passeth not gladly, where he 

 may see the water through the planks, for he hath a feeble 

 brain, and is soon grudged, and dreadeth therefore, and 

 falleth through the chines of the bridge into the water, that 

 he seeth running thereunder. And the Ass drinketh not 

 gladly but of small wells that he is used to, and those that 

 he may come dry-footed to. And wonder it is to tell, that 

 though an Ass be sore athirst, if his water be changed, un- 

 neath he drinketh thereof, but if it be like the water that 

 he is wont to drink of. 



And the Ass hath another wretched condition known 

 nigh to all men. For he is put to travail over night 

 [might - - Bartholomew], and is beaten with staves, and 

 sticked and pricked with pricks, and his mouth is wrung 

 with a barnacle [bit], and is led hither and thither, and 

 withdrawn from leys and pasture that is in his way oft by 



