In nineteenth-century Belgium the Scripture was taught to those who could not read with the help of small models of people and animals in the Bible.

As the bill from a local artist for repairing these seemed a little high, he was asked to provide an itemised bill.

Here it is:

Correcting the Ten Commandments: BFr 5.12
Embellishing Pontius Pilate and putting new ribbon in his bonnet: 3.02
Putting a new tail on the rooster of St Peter and mending comb: 2.20
Repluming and regilding the left wing of the Guardian Angel: 4.18
Washing the servant of the High Priest and putting carmine on his cheeks: 5.12
Renewing Heaven, adjusting two stars and cleaning the moon: 2.14
Reanimating the flames of Purgatory and restoring souls: 3.06
Reviving the flames of Hell, putting a new tail on the Devil, mending his left hoof and doing several jobs for the condemned: 7.17
Rebordering the robe of Herod and adjusting his wig: 4.00
Putting new spotted dashes on the Son of Tobias and dressing on his sack: 2.00
Cleaning the ears of Balaam’s ass and shoeing him: 3.02
Putting earrings in the ears of Sarah: 2.04
Putting new stone in David’s sling, enlarging the head of Goliath and extending his legs: 3.00
Decorating Noah’s Ark: 3.00
Mending the shirt of the Prodigal Son and cleaning his ears: 4.00
GRAND TOTAL: BFr. 59.07

The bill was paid without further delay.

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