Well,they sped the work bravely for a while,and loud was the laughter as the hoes smote the earth and the flint stones tinkled and the cloud of dust rose up;the brocaded dung-bearer went up and down,cursing and swearing by the White God and the Black;and one would say to another,"See ye how gentle blood outgoes churls'blood,even when the gentle does the churl's work:these lazy loons smote but one stroke to our three."But the King,who worked no worse than any,laughed not at all;and meanwhile the poor folk stood by,not daring to speak a word one to the other;for they were still sore afraid,not now of being slain on the spot,but this rather was in their hearts:"These great and strong lords and knights have come to see what work a man may do without dying:if we are to have yet more days added to our year's tale of lords'labour,then are we lost without remedy."And their hearts sank within them.
So sped the work;and the sun rose yet higher in the heavens,and it was noon and more.And now there was no more laughter among those toiling lords,and the strokes of the hoe and mattock came far slower,while the dung-bearer sat down at the bottom of the hill and looked out on the river;but the King yet worked on doggedly,so for shame the other lords yet kept at it.Till at last the next man to the King let his hoe drop with a clatter,and swore a great oath.Now he was a strong black-bearded man in the prime of life,a valiant captain of that famous Black Band that had so often rent the Turkish array;and the King loved him for his sturdy valour;so he says to him,"Is aught wrong,Captain?""Nay,lord,"says he,"ask the headman carle yonder what ails us.""Headman,"says the King,"what ails these strong knights?Have I ordered them wrongly?""Nay,but shirking ails them,lord,"says he,"for they are weary;and no wonder,for they have been playing hard,and are of gentle blood.""Is that so,lord,"says the King,"that ye are weary already?"Then the rest hung their heads and said nought,all save that captain of war;and he said,being a bold man and no liar:
"King,I see what thou wouldst be at;thou hast brought us here to preach us a sermon from that Plato of thine;and to say sooth,so that I may swink no more,and go eat my dinner,now preach thy worst!Nay,if thou wilt be priest I will be thy deacon.Wilt thou that I ask this labouring carle a thing or two?""Yea,"said the King.And there came,as it were,a cloud of thought over his face.
Then the captain straddled his legs and looked big,and said to the carle:"Good fellow,how long have we been working here?""Two hours or thereabout,judging by the sun above us,"says he.
"And how much of thy work have we done in that while?"says the captain,and winks his eye at him withal.
