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?

   [75] A variant of this occurs in the Decameron of
        Boccaccio, Day ix, Nov. 9, of which Dunlop gives the
        following outline:  Two young men repair to Jerusalem to
        consult Solomon.  One asks how he may be well liked, the
        other how he may best manage a froward wife.  Solomon
        advised the first to “love others,” and the second to
        “repair to the mill.”  From this last counsel neither can
        extract any meaning; but it is explained on their road
        home, for when they came to the bridge of that name they
        meet a number of mules, and one of these animals being
        restive its master forced it on with a stick.  The advice
        of Solomon, being now understood, is followed, with
        complete success.