and some dozen of captives, whom he had taken. And the
morrow of his coming, he, having heard of me, sent and bade me showing
the wonder of the Man and the Lion; therefore in the bright morning I
played with the lion under his window as I had done by the Queen. And
after I had played some while, and he looking out of the window, he
called to me and said: 'Canst thou lull thy lion to sleep, so that
thou mayst leave him for a little? For I would fain have thee up here.'

"I yeasaid that, and chid the beast, and then sang to him till he lay
down and slept like a hound weary with hunting. And then I went up
into the Lord's chamber; and as it happed, all the while of my playing
I had had my short-sword naked in my hand, and thus, I deem without
noting it, yet as weird would, I came before the tyrant, where he sat
with none anigh him save this Otter and another man-at-arms. But when I
saw him, all the blood within me that was come of one mother with my
brother's blood stirred within me, and I set my foot on the foot-pace
of this murderer's chair, and hove up my short-sword, and clave his
skull, in front and with mine own hand: not as he wrought, not as he
wrought with my brother.

"Then I turned about to Otter (who had his sword in his fist when it
was too late) till he should speak. Hah Otter, what didst thou say?"

Otter laughed: Quoth he, "I said: thus endeth the worst man in the
world. Well done, lion-tamer! thou art no ill guest, and hast paid on
the nail for meat, drink and lodging. But what shall we do now? Then
thou saidst; 'Well, I suppose thou wilt be for slaying me.' 'Nay,' said
I, 'We will not slay thee; at least not for this, nor now, nor without
terms.' Thou saidst: 'Perchance then thou wilt let me go free, since
this man was ill-beloved: yea, and he owed me a life.' 'Nay, nay,' said
I, 'not so fast, good beast-lord.' 'Why not?' saidst thou, 'I can see
of thee that thou art a valiant man, and whereas thou hast been captain
of the host, and the men-at-arms will lightly do thy bidding, why
shouldest thou not sit in the place of this man, and be Lord of
Utterbol?'

"'Nay nay,' said I, 'it will not do, hearken thou rather: For here I
give thee the choice of two things, either that thou be Lord of
Utterbol, or that we slay thee here and now. For we be two men
all-armed.'

"Thou didst seem to ponder it a while, and then saidst at last: 'Well,
I set not out on this journey with any such-like intent;