bear and other peltries; for now I am old, I can but little of the
hunting hereabout. Whiles, also, they bring little lumps of pure
copper, and would give me gold also, but it is of little use in this
lonely land. Sooth to say, to me they are not masterful or rough-
handed; but glad am I that they have been here but of late, and are
not like to come again this while; for terrible they are of aspect,
and whereas ye be aliens, belike they would not hold their hands
from off you; and moreover ye have weapons and other matters which
they would covet sorely."

Quoth the master: "Since thou dealest with these wild men, will ye
not deal with us in chaffer? For whereas we are come from long
travel, we hanker after fresh victual, and here aboard are many
things which were for thine avail."

Said the old man: "All that I have is yours, so that ye do but
leave me enough till my next ingathering: of wine and cyder, such
as it is, I have plenty for your service; ye may drink it till it is
all gone, if ye will: a little corn and meal I have, but not much;
yet are ye welcome thereto, since the standing corn in my garth is
done blossoming, and I have other meat. Cheeses have I and dried
fish; take what ye will thereof. But as to my neat and sheep, if ye
have sore need of any, and will have them, I may not say you nay:
but I pray you if ye may do without them, not to take my milch-
beasts or their engenderers; for, as ye have heard me say, the Bear-
folk have been here but of late, and they have had of me all I might
spare: but now let me tell you, if ye long after flesh-meat, that
there is venison of hart and hind, yea, and of buck and doe, to be
had on this plain, and about the little woods at the feet of the
rock-wall yonder: neither are they exceeding wild; for since I may