Vincent:  Yet is it marvel to me, uncle, that it should be as you say it is—­that this temptation is unto them that do it for pride or anger no tribulation, or that they should not need, in so great a distress and peril, both of body and soul to be lost, no manner of good ghostly comfort.

Anthony:  Let us therefore, cousin, consider an example or two, for thereby shall we better perceive it.

There was here in Buda in King Ladilaus’ days, a good poor honest man’s wife.  This woman was so fiendish that the devil, perceiving her nature, put her in the mind that she should anger her husband so sore that she might give him occasion to kill her, and then should he be hanged because of her.

Vincent:  This was a strange temptation indeed!  What the devil should she be the better then?

Anthony:  Nothing, but that it eased her shrewish stomach beforehand, to think that her husband should be hanged afterward.  And peradventure, if you look about the world and consider it well, you shall find more such stomachs than a few.  Have you never heard a furious body plainly say that, to see such-and-such man have a mischief, he would with good will be content to lie as long in hell as God liveth in heaven?

Vincent:  Forsooth, and some such have I heard.

Anthony:  This mind of his was not much less mad than hers, but rather perhaps the more mad of the twain.  For the woman peradventure did not cast so far peril therein.

But to tell you now to what good pass her charitable purpose came:  As her husband (the man was a carpenter) stood hewing with his chip axe upon a piece of timber, she began after her old guise to revile him so that he waxed wroth at last, and bade her get herself in or he would lay the helm of his axe about her back.  And he said also that it would be little sin even with that axe head to chop off the unhappy head of hers that carried such an ungracious tongue in it.  At that word the devil took his time and whetted her tongue against her teeth.  And when it was well sharpened she swore to him in very fierce anger, “By the mass, whoreson husband, I wish thou wouldst!  Here lieth my head, lo,” and with that down she laid her head upon the same timber log.  “If thou smite it not off, I beshrew thine whoreson’s heart!” With that, likewise as the devil stood at her elbow, so stood (as I heard say) his good angel at his, and gave him ghostly courage and bade him be bold and do it.  And so the good man up with his chip axe and at a chop he chopped off her head indeed.

There were other folk standing by, who had a good sport to hear her chide, but little they looked for this chance, till it was done ere they could stop it.  They said they heard her tongue babble in her head, and call, “Whoreson, whoreson!” twice after the head was off the body.  At least, thus they all reported afterward unto the king, except only one, and that was a woman, and she said that she heard it not.