hou be no hard worker,
nor very deft of thy hands, yet the winter is lonely here, and thou
wilt be missed somewhat."

Quoth John: "Yea, goodman, but there is this in it withal, that
Wethermel liketh me not, though I say nought against thee for a
master. I love not thy were-wolves, that are big and gruesome enough
to frighten two stout armed men; and I love not thy Dwarfs, who cut
off their own heads and stick them on again, and give guesting to
little lads, doing them no hurt; for meseems that means that the said
Dwarf will be carving guest-quarters here one day, and who knows how
soon; and I care not for such an one as a fellow at board. And then
there is thy grandson, and a fair boy he is and a good scald, though
that be come upon him somewhat suddenly. But he is over bigwordy for
me, and I see clearly that soon there shall be two masters in this
house, and one is well enough for me. And lastly as to thy kinswomen;
I wot well I shall have no good word from them year in year out. So
take this for my last word, that I shall turn my back upon thee so
soon as thou hast paid me my hire, and shall go seek quarters down the
Dale, at some merrier stead than this."

The goodman looked on him sourly, and then turned about and took a bag
from the chest, and drew silver from it, and told over certain pieces
and laid them before John (who is henceforth called Surly John) and
said: "Here is thine hire in good silver. And now I shall not say one
more word to thee for good or bad, save this, that thou hadst best
look to it that thy silver melt not before many months are over. Take
thy soles out of this straightway." So John took up his silver, and
stowed it in his pouch, and then he said: "Well, goodman, now that I
am paid I think that I had best pay thee for the cheek-knock of last
night."

He was a tall man and strong of thirty winters, and the goodman
somewhat on in years and not over strong, wherefore the battle seemed
like to go all one way. But lo, as he rushed on the goodman, of a
sudden he felt his feet pulled away from under him, and fell noseling
to the ground; and when he would rise, lo there was on one side of him
the goodman with a cudgel in his hand, and Osberne on the other, with
his whittle drawn; and the lad laughed and said: "Thou has been a long
while and used many words about going, so belike thou wert best tarry
no longer; or wert thou thinking thou wouldst go to bed? Nay, thou
hast talked long, but nought so