WhatRalphHeardoftheMattersoftheBurgoftheFourFrithsTherewasnocandleinthehallwhenheentered，butitwasnotsodarkthereinbuthemightseeRogersittingonastoolnearthechimney，andoppositetohimonthesettlesattwomen；oneverytallandbig，theothersmall；Rogerwaslookingawayfromthese，andwhistling；
anditcameintoRalph’smindthathewouldhavehimthinkthathehadnoughttodowiththem，whetherthatweresoornot。
ButheturnedroundasRalphcameupthehallandroseandcameuptohim，andfelltotalkingwithhimandaskinghimhowhelikedtheBurg；
andeverhespakefastandloud，sothatagainitcameonRalphthathewasplayingapart。
Ralphheededhimlittle，buteverlookedthroughthehall-duskonthosetwain，whopresentlyaroseandwenttowardthehalldoor，butwhentheywerebuthalf-wayacrossthefloorachamberlaincameinsuddenly，bearingcandlesinhishands，andthelightfellonthoseguestsandflashedbackfromasaladeontheheadofthebigman，andRalphsawthathewascladinalongwhitegaberdine，andhedeemedthathewastheverymanwhomhehadseenlastintheGreatPlaceatHigham，nighthechurch，andbeforethatupontheroad。
AsforthesmallermanRalphhadnoknowledgeofhim，forhecouldseebutlittleofhisface，whereashewaswrappedupinacloak，foraswarmastheeveningwas，andworeaslouchhatwithal；
buthiseyesseemedgreatandwondrousbright。
ButwhentheyweregoneRalphaskedRogerifheknewaughtofthem，oriftheyhadtoldhimaught。“Nay。”saidRoger，“theycameinhereasIsatalone，andhadtheirmeat，andspakenoughttome，andlittletoeachother。
IdeemthemnottobeoftheBurg。Nay，soothtosay，Idoubtiftheybetruemen。”
Ashespakecameinasortofthetownsmensomewhatmerryandnoisy，andcalledformeatanddrinkandmorelights；
sothattheboardwasbroughtandthehallwasspeedilyastir。
Thesemen，whilesupperwasbeingdight，felltotalkingtoRalphandRoger，andaskingthemquestionsofwhenceandwhither，butnowiseuncourteously：towhomRogeransweredwiththetalewhichhehadtoldRalph，andRalphtoldwhathewould，andthatwasbutlittle。
Butwhentheboardwasdighttheybadethemsitdownwiththemandeat。
Ralphsatdownatonce，andRogerwouldhaveservedhim，butRalphbadehimdoitnot，andconstrainedhimtositbyhisside，andtheytwosatalittleapartfromthetownsmen。
Sowhentheyhadeatentheirfill，andwinewasbrought，andmenweredrinkingkindly，RalphbegantoaskRogerconcerningthosewomenwhomhehadseeninthestreet，andthecaptiveswhomhehadseenbroughtinbythehost，andiftheywereofonekindred，andgenerallyhowitwaswiththem：andhespakesomewhatsoftlyasifhewouldnotbreakintothetalkofthetownsmen：
butRogeransweredhiminaloudvoicesothatallcouldhear：
“Yea，lord，Iwilltelltheethetaleofthem，whichsettethforthwellboththewisepolicyandthegreatmercyofthefolkoftheBurgandtheirrulers。”
SaidRalph：“ArethesewomenalsooftheDryTree？
ForIperceivethemtobebornofthefoesoftheBurg。”
Nowthetownsmenhadlettheirtalkdropawhiletolistentothetalkofthealiens；andRogeransweredstillinaloudvoice：
“Nay，nay，itisnotso。Thesequeensareindeedwar-takenthralls，butnotfromthemoftheDryTree，ortheywouldhavebeenslainatonce，likeasthecarlesofthoseaccursedones。
ButtheseareofthefolkoftheWheat-wearers，evenasthosewhomthousawestbroughtto-dayamidsttheotherspoil。
AndtothisfolktheBurgshowethmercy，andwhensothehostgoethagainstthemandover-cometh(andthatiswell-nighwhenevertheymeet)
theseworthylordsslaynowomanofthem，butthemenonly，whethertheybeoldoryoungoryoungest。Asfortheirwomentheyarebroughthitherandsoldatthemarket-crosstothehighestbidder。
Andthishonourtheyhave，thatsuchofthemasbefair，andthatisthemorepartoftheyoungerones，fetchnoillpenny。
YetformypartIwerelothtocheapensuchwares：fortheymakebutevilservants，beingproud，andnotabidingstripeslightly，ortoilingtheharderforthem；andtheybesomewhattoohandywiththeknifeiftheydeemthemselvesputupon。SpeakIsooth，mymasters？”quothhe，turningtowardthemofthetown。
Saidaburghersomewhatstrickeninyears，“Noughtbutsooth；
peaceablemenliketomeeschewsuchservants；allthemorebecauseofthis，thatifoneofthesequeensmisbehavewiththeknife，orstrayethfromhermaster’sbed，thelawsoftheBurgmeddlenottherein。
Forthewisemensaythatsuchfolkarenomorewithinthelawthankinebe，andmaynotfortheirdeedsbebroughtbeforeleetorassizeanymorethankine。Sothatifthemasterpunishhernotforhermisdoings，unpunishedsheneedsmustgo；yeaevenifherdeedbemeremurder。”
“Thatissooth。”saidasomewhatyoungerman；“yetwhilesitfarethillwiththematthehandsofourwomen。Towit，myfather’sbrotherhasevennowcomefromthewartofindhisthrallallspoiltbyhiswife：
andwhatremedymayhehaveagainsthiswife？hismoneyisgone，evenasifshehadhoughedhishorseorhisbestcow。”
“Yea。”saidathird，“wewerebetterwithoutsuchcattle。
Athrustwithaswordandallthetaletold，werethebetterwayofdealingwiththem。”
Saidanother；“Yetarethequeensgoodwebsters，and，lackingthem，figuredclothofsilkwouldbefar-fetchedanddear-boughthere。”
Ayoungmangailyclad，whohadbeeneyeingthespeakersdisdainfully，spakenextandsaid：“Fairsirs，yearespeakinglikehypocrites，andasifyourlawfulwiveswereheretohearkentoyou；
whereasyeknowwellhowgoodlythesethrallsbe，andthatmanyofthemcanbekindenoughwithal；andyewouldthinkyourselvesbutillbesteadifyemightnotcheapensuchjewelsforyourmoney。
WhichofyouwillgototheCrossnextSaturdayandtherebuyhimafairerwifethanhecanwedoutofourlineages？andawifewithalofwhosehumoursheneedtakenomoreaccountofthanthedullnessofhishoundortheskittishtemperofhismare，solongasthethongsmarts，andthetwigssting。”
Oneortwogrinnedashespake，butsomebenttheirbrowsathim，yetscarceinearnest，andthetalkthereoverdropped，nordidRalphaskanymorequestions；forhewassomewhatdown-hearted，callingtomindthefrankandfreemaidensofUpmead，andtheirfriendlywordsandheartykisses。
Andhimseemedtheworldwasworsethanhehadlookedtofindit。
Howsoever，theoldestandsoberestoftheguests，seeingthathewasastrangerandofnobleaspect，cameuntohimandsatbyhim，andfelltotellinghimtalesofthewarsofthemenoftheBurgwiththeWheat-wearers；
andhowintimepast，whenthetownwasbutlittlefenced，theWheat-wearershadstormedtheirgatesandtakenthecity，andhadmadeagreatslaughter；butyethadsparedmanyofthefighting-men，althoughtheyhadabidedthereasthemastersofthem，andheldthementhralledforthreegenerationsofmen：
afterwhichtimethesons’sonsoftheoldBurg-dwellershavinggrownverymanyagain，anddiversofthembeingtrustedinsundrymattersbytheconquerors，whooppressedthembutlittle，roseupagainstthemasoccasionserved，inthewinterseasonandtheYulefeast，andslewtheirmasters，saveforafewwhowerehiddenaway。
“Andthereafter。”quothhe，“didwemaketheBurgstrongandhardtowin，asyeseeitto-day；andwetookforourcaptaintheForestLord，whoere-whilehaddweltintheclearingsofthewildwood，andheweddedtheFairLadywhowastheson’sdaughterofhimwhohadbeenourlorderetheWheat-wearersovercameus；andwegrewsafeandfreeandmightyagain。
AndthesonoftheForestLord，hewhomwecalltheWar-smith，heitwaswhobeheldtheBurgtoomuchgiventopleasure，anddelightinginthesoftnessoflife；andhetookordertohardenourhearts，andtocauseallfreementolearnthecraftofwarandbattle，andletthewomenandthrallsandaliensseetoothercraftsmanshipandtochaffer；andevensoisitdoneashewould；andyeshallfindushardyofheartenough，thoughbelikenotsojoyousasmightbe。
Yetatleastweshallnotbeeasytoovercome。”
“Soindeeditseemeth。”saidRalph。“YetwillIaskofyoufirstonequestion，andthenanother。”
“Askon。”saidtheburgher。
SaidRalph：“Howisitthatye，beingsostrong，shouldstillsufferthemoftheDryTree，takingamanhereandamanthere，whenyemightdestroythemutterly？”
TheBurgherreddenedandclearedhisthroatandsaid：
“Sir，itmustbemadecleartoyouthattheseevilbeastsarenoperiltotheBurgoftheFourFriths；alltheharmtheymaydous，isaswhenacurdogbitethamaninthecalfoftheleg；
wherebythemanshallbegrievedindeed，butthedogslain。
Suchgriefasthattheyhavedoneusatwhiles：butthegriefispaidforthus，thatthehuntingandslayingofthemkeepsourmeningoodtrim，andpleasuresthem；shortlytosayit，theyarethechiefdeerwherewithourwoodisstocked。”
Hestoppedawhileandthenwentonagainandsaid：“Tosaysooththeybenotveryhandyforcrushingasamancrushesawasp，becausesorcerygoeswiththem，andthewilesofonewhoistheirQueen，theevilestwomanwhoeverspatupontheblessedHostoftheAltar：
yetisshestrong，adevouringseaofsouls，Godhelpus！”
Andheblessedhimselftherewith。
SaidRalph：“YetawordontheseWheat-wearers；itseemeththatyeneverfailtoovercometheminbattle？”
“Butseldomatleast。”quoththeBurgher。
SaidRalph：“Thenitwerenogreatmatterforyoutogatherahostoverwhelming，andtotaketheirtownsandcastles，andforbidthemweapons，andmakethemyourthrallstotillthelandforyouwhichnowtheycalltheirs；sothatyemighthaveoftheirgettingsallsavewhatwereneedfulforthemtoliveasthralls。”
“Ideemitwereaneasything。”saidtheburgher。
QuothRalph：“Thenwhydoyenotso？”
“Itwerebutapoorgametoplay。”saidtheburgher。
“Suchoftheirwealthaswehaveamindto，wecanhavenowatthecostofabattleortwo，begunonehourandendedthenext：
werewetheirmasterssittingdownamidstoftheirhatred，andamidstoftheirplotting，yea，andintheveryplacewherethatwerethehottestandthickest，thebattlewouldbetobeginateverysun’suprising，norwoulditbeendedatanysunset。
Hah！whatsayestthou？”
SaidRalph：“Thisseemethtomebutthebaretruth；yetitislittleafterthemannerofsuchmasterfulmenasyebe。
Butwhythendoyeslayalltheircarlesthataretaken；
whereasyebearawaythewomenandmakethrallsofthemathome，thatistosay，foesineveryhouse？”
“Itmaybe。”saidtheBurgher，“thatthisisnotamongstthewisestofourdealings。Yetmaywedonootherwise；forthuswesworetodobyallthegreatestoathsthatwemightswear，inthedayswhenwefirstcastofftheiryoke，andyetwerenotoverstrongatthefirst；
andnowithathsogrownintoapartofourmanners，yea，andofourveryheartsandminds，thattheslayingofaWheat-weareristousalightermatterthanthesmitingofarabbitorafowmart。Butnow，lookyou，fairsir，mycompanyarisethfromtable；soIbidtheeagoodnight。
AndIgivetheeagoodredealongwiththegoodwish，towit，thatthouasknottoomanyquestionsinthiscityconcerningitsfoemen：
forhereisthestrangerlookeduponwithdoubt，ifheneitherwilltakethewagesoftheBurgforbattle，norhathaughttosell。”
Ralphreddenedathisword，andtheotherlookedathimsteadilyashespoke，sothatRalphdeemedthathemistrustedhim：
hedeemedmoreoverthatthreeorfouroftheotherslookedhardathimastheywenttowardsthedoor，whileRogerstoodsomewhatsmiling，andhummingasnatchofanoldsong。
Butwhentheotherguestshadleftthehostelry，Rogerlefthissinging，andturnedtoRalphandsaid：“Master，meseemsthattheymistrustus，andnowmaybeisthatperilthatIspakeofnigherthanIdeemedwhenwecameintotheBurgthismorning。
AndnowIwouldthatwewerewelloutoftheBurgandinthemerrygreenwoodagain，anditrepentsmethatIbroughttheehither。”
“Nay，goodfellow。”quothRalph，“heeditnot：besides，itwasme，notthee，thattheyseemedtodoubtof。Iwilldeparthenceto-morrowmorningnoworserthanIcame，andleavetheetoseekthyfortunehere；
andgoodluckgowiththee。”
