countenance, and the others inquiring how he had sped, he answered: "I can see no wisdom in the king's advice; he simply advised me to _go to a mill_." The second man then went in, and returned quite as much perplexed as the first, saying: "Of a truth, Solomon is not so wise as he is reported to be; would you believe it?--all he said to me when I had told him my grievance was, _get up early in the morning_." The third man, somewhat discouraged by these apparently idle answers, entered the presence-chamber, and on coming out told his companions that the king had simply advised him to _be proud_. Equally disappointed, the trio returned homeward together. They had not gone far when one of them said to the first man: "Here is a mill; did not the king advise you to go into one?" The man entered, and presently ran out, exclaiming: "I've got it! I've got it! I am to beat my wife!" He went home and gave his spouse a sound thrashing, and she was ever afterwards a very obedient wife.[74] The second man got up very early the next morning, and discovered a number of his servants idling about, and others loading a cart with goods from his warehouse, which they were stealing. He now understood the meaning of Solomon's advice, and henceforward always rose early every morning, looked after his servants, and ultimately became very wealthy. The third man, on reaching home, told his wife to get him a splendid robe, and to instruct all the servants to admit no one into his presence without first obtaining his permission. Next day, as he sat in his private chamber, arrayed in his magnificent gown, a lady sent her servant to demand his attendance, and he was about to enter the physician's chamber, as usual, without ceremony, when he was stopped, and told that the doctor's permission must be first obtained. After some delay the lady's servant was admitted, and found the great doctor seated among his books. On being desired to visit the lady, the doctor told the servant that he could not do so without first receiving his fee. In short, by this professional pride, the physician's practice rapidly increased, and in a few years he acquired a large fortune. And thus in each case Solomon's advice proved successful.[75] [74] At the "mill" the man who was plagued with a bad wife doubtless saw some labourers threshing corn, since _grinding_ corn would hardly suggest the idea of _beating_ his provoking spouse.--By the way, this man had evidently never heard the barbarous sentiment, expressed in the equally barbarous English popular rhyme--composed, probably, by some beer-sodden bacon-chewer, and therefore, in those ancient times, _non inventus_-- A woman, a dog, and a walnut tree, The more you beat 'em, the better they be-- else, what need for him to consult King Solomon about his paltry domestic troubles?