to talk to this gelder and asked
him a hundred thousand questions about his business, and the gelder
replied as he best could.

At the end, the cure turned to the host, and whispered in his ear,

"Shall we play a trick upon this gelder?"

"Oh, yes, let us," replied the host. "But how shall we do it?"

"By my oath," said the cure, "we will play him a pretty trick, if you
will help me."

"I am quite willing," replied the host.

"I will tell you what we will do," said the cure. "I will pretend to
have a pain in the testicle, and bargain with him to cut it out; then I
will be bound and laid on the table all ready, and when he comes near to
cut me, I will jump up and show him my backside."

"That is well said," replied my host, who at once saw what he had to
do. "We shall never hit on anything better. We will all help you with
the joke."

"Very well," said the cure.

After this the cure began again to rally the gelder, and at last told
him that he had want of a man like him, for that he had a testicle all
diseased and rotten, and would like to find a man who would extract it,
and he said it so quietly and calmly that the gelder believed him, and
replied;

"Monsieur le cure, I would have you know that without either disparaging
myself or boasting, there is not a man in this country who can do the
job better than I can, and for the sake of the host here, I will do my
best to satisfy you."

"Truly, that is well said;" replied the cure.

In short, all was agreed, and when the dinner had been removed, the
gelder began to make his preparations, and on the other hand the cure
prepared to play the practical joke, (which was to turn out no joke for
him) and told the host and the others what they were to do.

Whilst these preparations were being made on both sides, the host went
to the gelder, and said,

"Take care, and, whatever the priest may say, cut out both his
testicles, clean,--and fail not, if you value your carcass."

"By St. Martin, I will," replied the gelder, "since you wish it. I have
ready a knife so sharp that I will present you with his testicles before
he has time to say a word."

"We shall see what you can do," said the host, "but if you fail, I will
never again have anything to do with you."

All being ready, the table was brought, and the cure, in his doublet,
pretended to be in great pain, and promised a bottle of good wine to the
gelder.

The host and his servants laid hold of the cure so