Twistales

An old woman, who had become blind, called in a physician and promised him before witnesses that she would reward him most generously if he could restore her eyesight. However, he was to receive nothing if he did not cure her malady. Upon agreeing to these conditions, the physician treated the old lady’s eyes from time to time without attempting to make much progress. In the meantime he succeeded in carrying off all her goods little by little. After a few weeks had gone by, he finally set about his task in earnest and cured her, whereupon he requested his reward. But, when the old woman recovered her sight, she saw that her house had been ransacked and continually put off the physician with excuses whenever he demanded payment. Consequently he summoned her before the judges and charged her with neglect of payment. In her defence, she said, “What this man says is true enough. I promised to reward him if he restored my sight and to give him nothing if he did not heal my eyes. He now maintains that I am cured, but I say just the opposite. When I was first struck by my disease, I could still see all sorts of furniture and goods in my house. But now, even though he asserts that he has restored my eyesight, I cannot see even a tiny trace of my furniture or my possessions.”

Old Learning: He who plays a trick must be prepared to pay the consequences.