am not the
Club-bearer. He sleeps among the kites and crows, but I have brought
away his bear-skin and his club."

They leapt across the pool, and came to him, and called the shepherds
back. And Theseus told them how he had slain the Club-bearer, and the
shepherds kissed his feet and sang, "Now we shall feed our flocks in
peace, and not be afraid to have music when we dance. For the cruel
Club-bearer has met his match, and he will listen for our pipes no
more."

Then the shepherds brought him kids' flesh and wine, and the nymphs
brought him honey from the rocks.

And Theseus ate and drank with them, and they begged him to stay, but
he would not.

"I have a great work to do;" he said, "I must go towards Athens."

And the shepherds said, "You must look warily about you, lest you meet
the robber, called the Pine-bender. For he bends down two pine-trees
and binds all travelers hand and foot between them, and when he lets
the trees go their bodies are torn in sunder."

But Theseus went on swiftly, for his heart burned to meet that cruel
robber. And in a pine-wood at last he met him, where the road ran
between high rocks.

There the robber sat upon a stone by the wayside, with a young
fir-tree for a club across his knees, and a cord laid ready by his
side, and over his head, upon the fir-top, hung the bones of murdered
men.

Then Theseus shouted to him, "Holla, thou valiant Pine-bender, hast
thou two fir-trees left for me?"

The robber leapt to his feet and answered, pointing to the bones above
his head, "My larder has grown empty lately, so I have two fir-trees
ready for thee."

He rushed on Theseus, lifting his club, and Theseus rushed upon him,
and they fought together till the greenwoods rang.

Then Theseus heaved up a mighty stroke and smote the Pine-bearer down
upon his face, and knelt upon his back, and bound him with his own
cord, and said, "As thou hast done to others, so shall it be done
to thee." And he bent down two young fir-trees and bound the robber
between them for all his struggling and his prayers, and as he let the
trees go the robber perished, and Theseus went on, leaving him to the
hawks and crows.

Clearing the land of monsters as he went, Theseus saw at last the
plain of Athens before him.

And as he went up through Athens all the people ran out to see him,
for his fame had gone before him, and every one knew of his mighty
deeds, and they shouted, "Here comes the hero!"

But Theseu