Owlglass was a man that, with all his endeavours, could never grow rich, the which is a marvel, considering how it is that so many knaves prosper right well; and here was one that in honesty could never be approached, and yet was poor. Now he took counsel within himself, and said: “I have heard it said, that peradventure if one turneth shepherd, by the cunning of the patriarch Jacob one may grow rich.” And he also had heard it said, that in the Duke of Brunswick’s service all men grew rich in no long season. So he gat him unto the duke; and when that he had come unto him he spake unto him, saying: “Most gracious duke, do thou, with thy marvellous goodness, appoint me that I shall be a shepherd in thy service for some years; for I would fain have money, that in mine old age I may live; and for my service I desire no other recompence.” And the duke did grant the post unto him for ten years. Then was Owlglass an excellent shepherd; and when that he heard that in any part of the duke’s country there was good grazing land, then wrote he straightway letters unto that land, and told the people thereof that he would bring thither his master’s cattle to graze. And in great terror did the farmer boors assemble, and did, for fear that the cattle should eat up all their substance, make collection, and send unto him five and twenty pieces of gold to go elsewhere. Then thought Owlglass: “A most fair thing is this;” and wrote unto another city, and thence also came money unto him; and this went forward so long, until the duke himself asked Owlglass how that his post prospered. “Truly,” quoth he, “I have a fair inheritance thereby, and a coat of delicate workmanship; for there is no office so little, that by it one may not have profit.” “Nay,” answered the duke; “I must unto this see myself.” Hence comes it that dukes, princes, kings, emperors, and all their lackeys, do continually take into their own hands the work and labour of lesser men; for the duke said unto Owlglass, he himself would do this thing; and Owlglass answered him, saying: “No office is so little, that the hangman may not from it draw an inheritance. For the great be in marvellous peril alway.”