A few days after, the boy invented another mischief: for when he had sold all the wood which I bare, to certain men dwelling in a village by, he led me homeward unladen: And then he cried that he was not able to rule me, and that he would not drive me any longer to the hill for wood, saying: Do you not see this slow and dull ass, who besides all the mischiefs that he hath wrought already, inventeth daily more and more. For he espyeth any woman passing by the way, whether she be old or married, or if it be a young child, he will throw his burden from his back, and runneth fiercely upon them. And after that he hath thrown them down, he will stride over them to commit his buggery and beastly pleasure, moreover he will feign as though he would kiss them, but he will bite their faces cruelly, which thing may work us great displeasure, or rather to be imputed unto us as a crime: and even now when he espied an honest maiden passing by the highway, he by and by threw down his wood and run after her: And when he had thrown her down upon the ground, he would have ravished her before the face of all the world, had it not been that by reason of her crying out, she was succored and pulled from his heels, and so delivered. And if it had so come to pass that this fearful maid had been slain by him, what danger had we been in? By these and like lies, he provoked the shepherds earnestly against me, which grieved me (God wot) full sore that said nothing. Then one of the shepherds said: Why do we not make sacrifice of this common adulterous ass? My son (quoth he) let us kill him and throw his guts to the dogs, and reserve his flesh for the labourers supper. Then let us cast dust upon his skin, and carry it home to our master, and say that the wolves have devoured him. The boy that was my evil accuser made no delay, but prepared himself to execute the sentence of the shepherd, rejoicing at my present danger, but oh how greatly did I then repent that the stripe which I gave him with my heel had not killed him. Then he drew out his sword and made it sharp upon the whetstone to slay me, but another of the shepherds gan say, Verily it is a great offence to kill so fair an ass, and so (by accusation of luxury and lascivious wantonness) to lack so necessary his labour and service, where otherwise if ye would cut off his stones, he might not only be deprived of his courage but also become gentle, that we should be delivered from all fear and danger. Moreover he would be thereby more fat and better in flesh. For I know myself as well many asses, as also most fierce horses, that by reason of their wantonness have been most mad and terrible, but (when they were gelded and cut) they have become gentle and tame, and tractable to all use. Wherefore I would counsel you to geld him. And if you consent thereto, I will by and by, when I go to the next market fetch mine irons and tools for the purpose: and I ensure you after that I have gelded and cut off his stones, I will deliver him unto you as tame as a lamb. When I did perceive that I was delivered from death, and reserved to be gelded, I was greatly sorry, insomuch that I thought all the hinder part of my body and my stones did ache for woe, but I sought about to kill myself by some manner of means, to the end if I should die, I would die with unperished members.