In the mean season, while the parents of the boy did lament and for the death of their son, the shepherd (according to his promise) came with his instruments and tools to geld me. Then one of them said, Tush we little esteem the mischief he did yesterday, but now we are contented that tomorrow his stones shall not only be cut off, but also his head. So was it brought to pass, that my death was delayed till the next morrow, but what thanks did I give to that good boy, who (being so slain) was the cause of my pardon for one short day. Howbeit I had no time then to rest myself, for the mother of the boy, weeping and lamenting for his death, attired in mourning vesture, tore her hair and beat her breast, and came presently into the stable, saying, Is it reason that this careless beast should do nothing all day but hold his head in the manger, filling and belling his guts with meat without compassion of my great misery, or remembrance of the pitiful death of his slain master: and condemning my age and infirmity, thinketh that I am unable to revenge his mischiefs, moreover he would persuade me, that he were not culpable. Indeed, it is a convenient thing to look and plead for safety, when as the conscience doeth confess the offence, as thieves and malefactors accustom to do. But oh good Lord, thou cursed beast, if thou couldest utter the contents of thine own mind, whom (though it were the veriest fool in all the world) mightest thou persuade that this murder was void or without thy fault, when as it lay in thy power, either to keep off the thieves with thy heels, or else to bite and tear them with thy teeth? Couldest not thou (that so often in his lifetime diddest spurn and kick him) defend him now at the point of death by the like mean? Yet at least, thou shouldest have taken him upon thy back, and so brought him from the cruel hands of the thieves: where contrary thou runnest away alone, forsaking thy good master, thy pastor and conductor. Knowest thou not, that such as deny their wholesome help and aid to them which lie in danger of death, ought to be punished, because they have offended against good manners, and the law natural? But I promise thee, thou shalt not long rejoice at my harms, thou shalt feel the smart of thy homicide and offence, I will see what I can do. And therewithal she unclosed her apron, and bound all my feet together, to the end I might not help myself, then she took a great bar, which accustomed to bar the stable door, and never ceased beating me till she was so weary that the bar fell out of her hands, whereupon she (complaining of the soon faintness of her arms) ran to her fire and brought a firebrand and thrust it under my tail, burning me continually, till such time as (having but one remedy) I all arrayed her face and eyes with my dirty dung, whereby (what with the stink thereof, and what with the filthiness that fell in her eyes) she was well-nigh blinded: so I enforced the quean to leave off, otherwise I had died as Meleager did by the stick, which his mad mother Althaea cast into the fire.