Violet Jacob > Stories told by the miller

50 STORIES TOLD BY THE MILLER
At this the imprisoned pair perceived who it
was that had arrived.
“Here,” they shouted, “here is the great
lord come to pay our debts ! Did we not assure
you that he would come ?”
And they rained abuse upon the landlord.
“ Let them out and I will make it good to
you,” said the youngest brother.
So the two miscreants were freed, and a
sorry sight they were; for, as the price of
each day of their detainment the landlord had
demanded a garment, and their clothes were
almost at an end. One had only a shirt left;
and the other one garter and a piece of an old
tablecloth in which he had wrapped himself
for decency. The inn servants shouted with
laughter as they came running out. The
youngest brother and his wife laughed too ;
and as for the magpie, he was so delighted that
he nearly choked, and had to be restored with
strong waters.
“ I still prefer my experience to your money,”
remarked the youngest brother to his relations.