Christopher was the name of a bootmaker, who, in Brunswick, lived upon the Cabbage-market. Unto him on a time went Owlglass, that he might have his boots greased. And when that he came into the house, he opened his mouth, and said: “Master, an if ye will smear me these boots well and throughly, I will pay your demand, so that I have them by Monday.” And the master answered, and said: “Yea, truly shall ye have them.” Then departed Owlglass from the house, and thought no longer thereupon; for when wise men say things shall be done, it is the fool’s fault if they be not. And after that he had gone his way, the bootmaker’s man said: “Behold, master, have a care; for that is Owlglass, and to all men doth he work knavery. Do, therefore, that he said, or he will work ye a vile turn.” Then answered the master, and said: “What would he have?” And the man said: “He said, smear me these boots and throughly. Therefore do ye according to his words, and smear ye them within and without.” Then answered the master unto him, and said: “That will I do.” So did he, in truth.

And on the Monday cometh Owlglass, and he saith unto them: “Have ye my boots ready?” And the master had hung them upon a hook in his shop, and answered unto him, and said, as he pointed unto them: “Behold, there have ye your boots as they hang.” And Owlglass looked, and saw that they were so smeared within and without; and he laughed, and said: “How good and pious a master bootmaker have I found, that he doth smear me my boots throughly. And what may ye desire to have for your pains?” Then spake the master: “An old penny will I have.” Then did Owlglass give him an old penny he had by him, and departed from the house; and then laughed the master and his man, and said one to the other: “How may he take that? Surely now hath he been made a fool!” That heard our good Master Owlglass; and he put his head within the window so that it brake, and head and shoulders followed after, to the great wonderment of all thereby. And Owlglass said unto the bootmaker: “Master, what lard used ye? Tell me if it be lard from a sow or a boar?” Thereat was the master amazed with his man, and at last perceived that Owlglass lay in the window, and he had broken it. Then the bootmaker grew angry, and said: “The genius of evil take thee! What meanest thou? With this lapstone will I break thy head!” Then said Owlglass: “Honourable sir, be not angry. It is but a simple answer I would have. Which is it from which ye have taken the lard, from a sow or a boar?” And the master wished his window whole. But he answered never a word; and thereat said Owlglass: “If that ye will not tell me, I must depart to foreign lands to have it certified, and of another must I learn whether it be of a sow or a boar.” Therewith departed Owlglass.

Then waxed the master wroth with his man, and said unto him: “That counsel gavest thou me; now give me other counsel how that my window may be whole.” But the servant was dumb. So said the master: “Which hath been the greatest fool among these, and who shall pay the damage?” But the comrade held his tongue; and the master continued: “Who is it that hath mocked the other? How shall my window be made whole? I have always heard it said: He that is heavy laden with a fool may soon rejoice to lose his pack from his shoulders; and if I had done that might I have kept my window, nor would I have cared an if it had been in that wise.” Therefore departed the apprentice, and bootmaker Christopher paid for his broken window himself.