Said the Long-hoary, "Maybe; I wot not; in diverse ways my kinsmen
traffic, and they visit many lands. Why should they not have come to
Cleveland also?"

"Is she in this Isle, thou old runagate?" said Hallblithe.

"She is not, thou young fool," said the elder. Then Hallblithe
flushed red and spake: "Knowest thou the Puny Fox?"

"How should I not?" said the carle, "since he is the son of one of my
sons."

"Dost thou call him a liar and a rogue?" said Hallblithe.

The elder laughed; "Else were I a fool," said he; "there are few
bigger liars or bigger rogues than the Puny Fox!"

"Is he here in this Isle?" said Hallblithe; "may I see him?"

The old man laughed again, and said: "Nay, he is not here, unless he
hath turned fool since yesterday: why should he abide thy sword,
since he hath done what he would and brought thee hither?"

Then he laughed, as a hen cackles a long while, and then said: "What
more wilt thou ask me?"

But Hallblithe was very wroth: "It availeth nought to ask," he said;
"and now I am in two minds whether I shall slay thee or not."

"That were a meet deed for a Raven, but not for a man," said the