A bald Knight wore a wig which a gust of wind took away. While his companions laughed, the Knight took it in stride and made a joke of it. Good for him.
It’s good to be able to laugh at yourself.
Townsend version
A bald knight, who wore a wig, went out to hunt. A sudden puff of wind blew off his hat and wig, at which a loud laugh rang forth from his companions. He pulled up his horse, and with great glee joined in the joke by saying, “What a marvel it is that hairs which are not mine should fly from me, when they have forsaken even the man on whose head they grew.”
Samuel Croxall
A CERTAIN Knight growing old, his hairs fell off, and he became bald; to hide which imperfection, he wore a periwig. But as he was riding out with some others a hunting, a sudden gust of wind blew off the periwig, and exposed his bold pate. The company could not forbear laughing at the accident; and he himself laughed as loud as any body, saying. How was it to be expected that I should keep strange hair upon my head, when my own would not stay there?
THE APPLICATION
To be captious, is not more uneasy to ourselves than it is disagreeable to others. As no man is entirely without fault, a few defects, surrounded with a guard of good qualities, may pass muster well enough; but he whose attention is always upon the catch for something to take exception at, if he had no other bad quality, can never be acceptable. A captious temper, like a little leven, sours a whole lump of virtues; and makes us disrelish that which might otherwise be the most grateful conversation. If we would live easy to ourselves, and agreeable to others, we should be so far from seeking occasions of being angry, that sometimes we should let them pass unregarded when they come in our way; or, if they are so palpable that we cannot help taking notice of them, we should do well to rally them off with a jest, or dissolve them in good humour. Some people take a secret pleasure in nettling and fretting others; and the more practicable they find it to exercise this quality upon any one, the more does it whet and prompt their inclination to do it. But, as this talent savours something of ill nature, it deserves to be baffled and defeated: which one cannot do better than, by receiving all that is uttered at such a time with a cheerful aspect, and an ingenuous, pleasant, unaffected reply. Nor is the expedient of the bald knight unworthy of our imitation: for if, by those about us, we cannot stifle it sooner, or better, than by a brisk presence of mind to join in mirth with the company, and, if possible, to anticipate the jest which another is ready to throw out upon the occasion.
Thomas Bewick
A certain Knight growing old, his hair fell off, and he became bald; to hide which imperfection he wore a periwig. But as he was riding out with some others a hunting, a sudden gust of wind blew off the periwig, and exposed his bald pate. The company could not forbear laughing at the accident; and he himself laughed as loud as any body, saying, how was it to be expected that I could keep strange hair upon my head, when my own would not stay there?
APPLICATION.
There is no disposition, or turn of mind, which on many occasions contributes more to keep us easy, than that which enables us to rally any of our failings, or joke upon our own infirmities: this blunts the edge, and baffles and turns aside the malignant sneers of little wits, and the ill nature and ridicule of others. If we should at any time happen to incur the laughter of those about us, we cannot stifle it sooner or better than by receiving it all with a cheerful look, and by an ingenuous and pleasant remark, parry the jest which another is ready to throw out at our expence. To appear fretted or nettled, only serves to gratify the wishes of those who take a secret pleasure in seeing such an effect produced; and, besides, a testy or captious temper is a source of perpetual disquietude, both to ourselves and our acquaintances, and like a little leaven, sours the whole mass of our good qualities. If we had no other imperfections, this of itself would be sufficient to cause our company to be shunned.
JBR Collection
A certain Knight, who wore a wig to conceal his baldness, was out hunting one day. A sudden gust of wind carried away his wig, and showed his bald pate. His friends all laughed heartily at the odd figure he made, but the old fellow, so far from being put out, laughed as heartily as any of them. “Is it any wonder,” said he, “that another man’s hair shouldn’t keep on my head when my own wouldn’t stay there?”
Calvus et Crines Alieni
Subita aura sustulit crines mentitos calvi equo vecti. Comites rident; ipse quoque ridens ait, “Quid mirum est si crines, qui non erant mei, abierunt? Illi enim abierant, qui prius Natura mei fuerant.”
Perry #375