The miller had no lack of customers.  From all around, grist came to his mill.  One of his chief customers was the great college Soler Hall at Cambridge.  He ground their wheat and their malt too.  One day it chanced that the bursar fell ill and was like to die.  The miller did not let this opportunity slip, but stole a hundred times more than before, changing from cautious pilfering to barefaced robbery.  When the head of the college accused him he was impudent and denied the charge lustily.

There were at the college two poor scholars, John and Aleyn.  In sheer joy at a chance to trick the miller, they went to the warden and asked to be allowed to take the corn to be ground.  “We wager,” they said, “that the miller shall not steal a grain while we are there to watch.”  At last they persuaded the warden to let them pit their wits against the miller’s.  Aleyn made the preparations, threw the sack of corn on the horse, took his sword and buckler, and the two set off together.  John knew the way and presently they arrived at the mill.

Aleyn began:  “Good-day to you, Symond How are your wife and pretty daughter?” “Ah!  Aleyn,” said the miller, “I’m pleased to see you, and John too.  What is your business?” “Symond,” answered John, “necessity is a hard master.  A manless man must needs be his own servant.  Our bursar is so ill, that I hear he will die, so Aleyn and I have come to get the corn ground and take it home again.”  “Right,” said Simpkin, “I will do it.  But how will you spend the time till it is ready?” “As for me,” answered John, “I have never seen corn ground in my life.  I will stand by the hopper and watch how the corn goes in.”  “And I,” Aleyn took up, “know as little of milling as John does, so I will stand down below and watch the meal run into the trough.”

The miller knew well enough what they were thinking of, but he said nothing, meaning to get the better of them later.  When the two scholars were all intent on watching the corn, the miller chose his time aid crept out softly.  He found their horse standing tied under a bush and untied his bridle.  Away ran the horse to the fen, tossing his head and whinnying, and splashing through mud and water.  The miller returned without a word, but when the meal was put in the sack and they were ready to be gone, John discovered the loss.  “Aleyn,” he cried, “look, our horse is gone!” “Which way?  Which way?” cried Aleyn.  “Come, hurry and see what a dreadful thing has happened!” The corn was forgotten “Oh, where can he have gone to?” they asked.  Up came the miller’s wife.  “Your horse is gone to the fen,” she said, “running as fast as he can.”  “Throw down your sword, Aleyn,” cried John, “and let’s off after him.  Between us we should catch him.  Why ever did we not put the beast in a shed!  You’re a fool, Aleyn, I’m afraid.”  Away they went and spent all the day whooping and holloaing to the horse, but he was too wild for them.  Just on nightfall, however, they drove him into a ditch and caught him there.  Meanwhile the miller had helped himself to half a bushel of meal and bade his wife make a cake of it.  “It’s not always learning that makes the cutest man!” he said.  “A miller has little trouble in upsetting the tricks of a mere clerk.”