In no long time thereafter came Owlglass into Mechlenburg, and there he gat him a horse of excellent goodness. And as he would have departed on his way thence, and rode by an inn, the horse would no longer go forward, for it had an evil habit that at every inn would it stop. Thereat said Owlglass: “In truth, thou canst also drink thee a measure of liquor, for it is hot;” and therefore he gat down from the horse, and tied him up unto the gateway. Then entered he into the inn, and the guest-chamber thereof, and there sat several guests within, making merry. At the table there sat a Jew, who was a dealer in horses; and the Jew had perceived the horse of Owlglass as he came up unto the house. And he spake unto Owlglass, saying: “Wilt thou sell thy horse, and what wouldst thou have in money therefor?” Then Owlglass answered, and said unto the Jew: “This horse canst thou not buy, Jew; it is a Mechlenburg horse, and of a most rare breed, and three hundred nobles would scarce pay for it.” Then said the Jew: “Nay, but what think ye, gracious sir, for twenty nobles would I buy thee such a horse. Wilt thou set a wager upon it?” “Most contemptible son of Moses,” said Owlglass, “thou couldst not. He hath not one fault, and is as gentle as a tender lamb.” “Well,” answered the Jew: “wilt thou take twenty nobles therefor?” Then Owlglass spake unto him, and said: “Look you, Hebrew Jew, an if thou wilt take three strokes from my riding-whip, then will I give thee the horse, and he shall be fairly thine own.” Thereat said the Jew: “Ye would fain jest with me, noble sir; may I trust your word?” And Owlglass said: “Hast thou not heard it?” Then cried the Jew: “Yea; and the gentlefolk yonder will be witnesses thereunto.” Then said Owlglass: “Good: when wilt thou have the three strokes? Wilt thou have it that I begin now at this place and time?” Thereupon the Jew answered Owlglass, and said: “An if that I must have them, it may as well now be as at any other time.” Then Owlglass commanded that the Jew should be tied up, and said unto him: “Now do thou remember. Thou hast to receive from me three strokes, and when thou hast received them, then shalt thou truly become possessor of my horse.”

Then he took his whip, and lifted it, and came down with a great stroke upon the back of the Jew, so that he cried aloud with marvellous pain. Then said Owlglass: “Son of Abraham, art thou content, or wilt thou straightway receive the next stroke?” And the Jew answered, and said: “Gracious sir, the other will I have now; but I entreat thee, for pity’s sake, not to strike me so sore.” And Owlglass spake unto him, and said: “Then make thou thyself ready:” and therewith gave he unto the Jew a yet sorer stroke. The poor Jew thereat bit his tongue woundily with the pain, and cried to Owlglass that he should speedily give him the third stroke. Then said Owlglass: “Nay; but for the third stroke mayest thou stay a while, so long as thou receivest it not is the horse mine. Behold, here are the witnesses.” Thereat, although the Jew scarce could stand with the pain, he entreated Owlglass that he should then give him the third stroke; but Owlglass would not. Then lamented the Jew, and Owlglass gave unto him a measure of wine; but he ceased not to complain in that he had been beguiled of Owlglass. Yet was the Jew justly served, in that, with small pains and labour, he would have received the horse of Owlglass.

O most worthy teacher of wisdom unto the ignorant and sinful, why camest thou not in the days in which I do here chronicle thy marvellous deeds?