search about the margins of the mere and under the snowlit trees, the
sacristan pointed out to them a box-hedge, behind which they hid.

The Spaniards, driving before them the sheep and the cattle, advanced
upon the ice. When the sheep reached the hedge they began to nibble at
the green stuff, and now Korneliz broke from the shadows of the bushes,
followed by the others with their pitchforks. Then in the midst of the
huddled-up sheep and of the cows who stared affrighted, the savage
strife was fought out beneath the moon, and ended in a massacre.

When they had slain not only the Spaniards, but also their horses,
Korneliz rushed thence across the meadow in the direction of the flames,
while the others plundered and stripped the dead. Thereafter all
returned to the village with their flocks. The women, who were observing
the dark forest from behind the churchyard walls, saw them coming
through the trees and ran with the cure to meet them, and all returned
dancing joyously amid the laughter of the children and the barking of
the dogs.

But, while they made merry, under the pear trees of the orchard, where
the Red Dwarf had hung lanterns in honor of the kermesse, they anxiously
demanded of the cure what was to be done.

The outcome of this was the harnessing of a horse to a cart in order to
fetch the bodies of the woman and the nine little girls to the village.
The sisters and other relations of the dead woman got into the cart
along with the cure, who, being old and very fat, could not walk so far.

In silence they entered the forest, and emerged upon the moonlit plain.
There, in the white light, they descried the dead men, rigid and naked,