King John And The Abbot

One day, King John and his courtiers rode to Canterbury. There they stayed with the Abbot, who looked after them and entertained them well.

King John saw how rich the Abbot of Canterbury was and grew more and more envious. “I am beginning to think you are richer than I am,” he said.

The Abbot saw the greedy look in the king’s eyes. “Oh, no, Your Majesty,” he said. “I am only a poor subject. It would not be right for a subject to be richer than his king.”

“It certainly would not be right,” replied the king. “But you are supposed to be a clever man. If you can answer me three questions, you may keep your wide lands and your wealth.”

“What are the three questions?” asked the Abbot, alarmed.

“Firstly,” said the king, “you must tell me how much money I am worth. Secondly, you must tell me how quickly I may ride around the world. And thirdly, you must tell me what I am thinking. If, within three days, you cannot answer my questions, you will lose your head and your lands.”

With that, the king rode away, leaving the worried Abbot scratching his head in despair.

The Abbot went to his library and searched all day, but found no answer to the three questions. He hardly slept a wink that night.

Next day, the Abbot rode around his great estates and as he went, he passed a shepherd. The Abbot did not notice him until the shepherd called out, “Good day to you, my lord Abbot. You look weighed down with troubles.”

Glad of someone with whom to share his unhappiness, the Abbot replied, “I have much to be unhappy about. By tomorrow, I must answer three questions which the king has set and if I fail, he will cut off my head and take all the Abbey lands for his own.”

“That is terrible news indeed,” replied the shepherd. “Tell me, what are the questions?”

“First, I must tell the king how much money he is worth,” replied the Abbot. “Then I must tell him how quickly he may ride around the world and lastly I must tell him exactly what he is thinking.”

The shepherd thought for a little while. “These are not easy questions, my lord Abbot,” he replied. “But I think I can answer them. We are the same height and the same build and I am sure that if we changed clothes, I could easily be taken for you. I will go to see the king in your place and answer his questions for you.”

The Abbot was puzzled, for he did not know how a humble shepherd could succeed where he, a clever man, had failed, but finally he agreed.

Next day, the shepherd set off for the king’s court, dressed as the Abbot. When he was taken before the king, he was careful to keep his hood drawn over his face, so that the king could not see his features clearly.

“Well, my lord Abbot, have you brought me the answers to my questions?” asked the king.

“I have, Your Majesty,” replied the shepherd.

“Then tell me first how much I am worth,” said the king.

“That is simple. The answer is twenty-nine pieces of silver, Your Majesty,” said the shepherd.

“Twenty-nine pieces of silver?” asked the astonished king. “Surely I am worth more than that.”

“Our Lord was sold for thirty pieces of silver,” replied the shepherd. “And I think you will agree that you are worth one piece less than He, Your Majesty.”

The king roared with laughter. “I cannot deny it,” he said. “But tell me now, how soon can I ride round the world?”

“Why, you must get up with the sun and ride with him and you will go round the world in twenty-four hours,” replied the shepherd.

“You are very clever, my lord Abbot,” said the king. “But I am sure you cannot answer my third question. Tell me exactly what I am thinking.”

“Oh, that is easy, Your Majesty,” replied the shepherd. “You think I am the Abbot of Canterbury, but I am only a poor shepherd who has taken his place.” Then the shepherd threw back his hood so that the king could see his face.

The courtiers cheered and King John smiled grimly. “You are a clever man, shepherd,” he said. “Go back and tell your Abbot that you have won both his lands and his life for him. I am well pleased with your wit and your answers and I will let the Abbot go free.”

By his cleverness, the shepherd had saved both the Abbot’s life and the Abbey lands from the king.