Now in a place where Owlglass sojourned on a time, was there a shoemaker, who loved rather to walk about in the market than to labour, and he hired Owlglass for his servant, and he bade Owlglass cut out the shapes himself. Then said Owlglass unto him: “Master, what would you have me to cut?” And the shoemaker answered him, and said: “Cut ye out great and small, as the herdsman driveth forth to field.” And Owlglass spake unto him, and said: “Yea, master, that will I.” And therewith departed the master unto the market. Then fell Owlglass to work, and began to cut out pigs, and oxen, and calves, and sheep, and goats, and all kind of cattle. When that it was night, the master returned him home again, and fain would see what his serving-man had done; then found he these animals cut out of the leather. Thereat grew he angry, and said unto Owlglass: “What is it that thou hast done, so to cut and destroy my leather?” And Owlglass said: “Dear master, I have done it as thou wouldst most desire it should be.” The master answered, and said: “Nay, thou liest; I would not have thee to destroy the leather; that did I not command thee that thou shouldst do.” Then answered Owlglass to him: “Master, wherefore be ye angry? Ye commanded me that I should cut the leather great and small, like as the herdsman driveth forth to field; and most truly to be seen is it that I have thus done.” Then said the master: “Nay, but I meant ye should cut out shoes great and small.” Thereupon said Owlglass: “Had ye said that unto me so that I understood it, then would I have done it with great joy; and yet would I do it.” Then agreed Owlglass and his master, the one with the other; and he forgave him the leather he had cut up, for Owlglass promised him that he would do him content thereafter, and as he told him that would he do.

Then did the shoemaker cut a number of soles for shoes, and laid them before Owlglass, and said unto him: “Look ye, sew ye them little and great as they be altogether.” And Owlglass said: “Yea” thereunto, and began to sew them. Then tarried the master awhile, and departed not forth, for he desired to see how Owlglass did sew. For well knew he that which he had told him, and he craved to behold how he would do according to his words. And Owlglass took a small shoe and a great shoe, and with his needle and thread he sewed them together. And thereat stole the master secretly up to him, and he perceived that which he did. Then said he unto Owlglass: “Thou art truly a man after mine own heart; thou doest that which I desire thee to do.” And Owlglass answered, and said unto him: “He that doeth his master’s bidding will receive no stripes.” Then said the master: “Yea, my good servant, my words were so, but my meaning was other. What I meaned was, that thou shouldst first make a pair of small shoes, and then make a pair of large, or the great first and the small ones after; but thou sewest them altogether, according to my words and not my meaning.” And then waxed he wroth, and took the leather which was cut up, and said: “Now take thee other leather, and cut me new shoes on one last.”

Thereafter thought he no more about the matter, and departed forth to walk. And when that he had been out for more than an hour, he remembered him that he had told Owlglass to cut all on one last; and he hastened him home to see what was done. And Owlglass had sate him still the while, and taken a small last, and cut all the shoes thereunto. So that when the master came, he found he had cut it all according to the little last; and he said unto him: “What dost thou mean, that thou hast on the one last cut me all these shoes? How can the great sole belong to the little shoe?” And Owlglass said unto him: “That will I do after, and the other will I cut.” Then said the master: “But thou takest only one last, and makest them all for one foot; what dost thou expect can I do with thy work?” Then answered Owlglass unto him: “Of a truth, master, thou didst bid me to cut them over one last only, and that have I done.” Thereat said the master: “If that I had much to do with thee, should I have to run with thee to the hangman;” and he furthermore said unto him: “Pay thou me for the leather thou hast marred.” Then said Owlglass: “If that I have marred thy leather, the currier can he not make more?” Then arose he, and stood in the door, and turning himself round unto the master, said: “If that I come not again, have I yet been with thee. Farewell.” And he departed from that city.