A little after comes in the goodman with John, neither of them in very sweet temper; they had seen nought of the sheep save the hide and bones of a half score, but the wolves they had not failed to see; they had come to the same place as the last night, and seemed by no means afraid of the man-host with its spears and shields, wherefore these last had turned their backs and run from them stoutly, and now sat together glowering on each other, and casting now and again a gibe each at each. But they were at one in this, that the wolves were huge and fierce beyond measure, and such as any man might fear. But at last John spake and said: "Well, master, it is as they say down the Dale, that this no lucky house; meseems ye are beset with no common wolves, but with skin-changers who have taken the shape of wolves, whether they be Land-wights or Dwarfs, or ride-a-nights of the outlaws." At that word waxed the master wood-wrath, as was his wont if any spake of the luck of Wethermel; and he forgot his fear in his anger, and said: "Hearken the fool-talk of him! Thou hadst not the heart for all thine inches to go forward before thy master, and a man on the downward side of years; and now thou must needs make up fairy tales to cover they cowardice." Said John, grinning, "Keep thy head, master; for sooth it is that thou wert the first to run, and wert the first through the door." "Thou liest," said the goodman; "but this I tell thee, that whosoever was afraid then, thou shalt be afraid now." And he rose up and smote his man upon the face so that he fell to the ground, and John leapt up and would have smitten his master again; but even therewith comes in the goodwife, and Bridget with her, bearing in the supper smoking hot, and something seemed to hold John back from his blow, and he sat down, surly enough but silent. Then said the goodwife: "What is to do here? Hast thou run against the settle-end, John, that thy cheek is red and blue?" Laughed the youngling thereat, and a word came into his mouth, and he sang: All grey on the bent There the sheep-greedy went: The big spear and shield Met the foes of the field, But nought the white teeth In the warriors gat sheath, For master and man Full meetly they ran. But now in this hall The fear off doth fall From one of the twain, And his hand getteth gain, But the other sits there, And new groweth his fear Both of man and of grey. So the meat on board lay, Thou on whom gold doth ride, Meat-goddess grey-eyed, Let the loaf-warden eat, And the man whom he beat, And the lad that doth lie In wall-nook hereby, And thou Gold-tree the fair, And the milk-mother dear, Lest the meat wax a-cold Both for bold and unbold.