Verse 56

⁵⁶So he clung to his works, his self all desire, cheated and understanding nothing: whatever the queen wanted, that and nothing else he went along with. ⁵⁷Sometimes when she drank he drank the wine and was helpless with it; when she ate he ate, and when she chewed he chewed with her. ⁵⁸Sometimes when she sang he sang, and when she wept he wept; when she laughed he laughed, and when she chattered he chattered after her. ⁵⁹Sometimes when she ran he ran, and when she stood he stood after her; he lay down when she lay down, and sat when she sat. ⁶⁰Sometimes when she listened he listened, and when she looked he looked after her; when she smelled he smelled, and when she touched he touched.

⁶¹And sometimes, when his wife grieved, he grieved along with her like a poor thing; when she was glad he was glad after her, and when she was merry he was merry. ⁶²So he was tricked by the queen and cheated in every part of his nature; not wanting to, the fool copied her out of weakness, like a tame animal kept for play.