Then, as they were drawing near a
little island, she said to the younger one--
"Good father, say your prayers here until I have taken your companion to
another island. Then, if he praises me when he comes back, we will leave
him here, and go away in turn together."
The younger friar leapt out on to the island to await the return of his
comrade, whom the boat-woman took away with her to another island.
When they had reached the bank she said to him, pretending the while to
fasten her boat to a tree--
"Look, my friend, and see where we can place ourselves."
The good father stepped on to the island to seek for a convenient spot,
but no sooner did she see him on land than she struck her foot against
the tree and went off with her boat into the open stream, leaving both
the good fathers to their deserts, and crying out to them as loudly as
she could--
"Wait now, sirs, till the angel of God comes to console you; for you
shall have nought that could please you from me to-day."
The two poor monks, perceiving that they had been deceived, knelt down
at the water's edge and besought her not to put them to such shame; and
they promised that they would ask nothing of her if she would of her
goodness take them to the haven.
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