other went her way. Abbot Hans
commanded the lay brother not to reveal to a soul that which had been
agreed upon. He feared that the monks, should they learn of his purpose,
would not allow a man of his years to go up to the Robbers' Cave.

Nor did he himself intend to reveal his project to a human being. And then
it happened that Archbishop Absalon from Lund came to Oevid and remained
through the night. When Abbot Hans was showing him the herb garden, he got
to thinking of Robber Mother's visit, and the lay brother, who was at work
in the garden, heard Abbot Hans telling the Bishop about Robber Father,
who these many years had lived as an outlaw in the forest, and asking him
for a letter of ransom for the man, that he might lead an honest life
among respectable folk. "As things are now," said Abbot Hans, "his
children are growing up into worse malefactors than himself, and you will
soon have a whole gang of robbers to deal with up there in the forest."

But the Archbishop replied that he did not care to let the robber loose
among honest folk in the villages. It would be best for all that he remain
in the forest.

Then Abbot Hans grew zealous and told the Bishop all about Goeinge forest,
which, every year at Yuletide, clothed itself in summer bloom around the
Robbers' Cave. "If these bandits are not so bad but that God's glories can
be made manifest to them, surely we cannot be too wicked to experience the
same blessing."

The Archbishop knew how to answer Abbot Hans. "This much I will promise
you, Abbot Hans," he said, smiling, "that any day you send me a blossom
from the garden in Goeinge forest, I will give you letters of ransom for
all the outlaws you may choose to plead for."

The lay brother apprehended that Bishop Absalon believed as little in this
story of Robber Mother's as he himself; but Abbot Hans perceived nothing
of the sort, but thanked Absalon for his good promise and said that he
would surely send him the flower.

Abbot Hans had his way. And the following Christmas Eve he did not sit at
home with his monks in Oevid Cloister, but was on his way to Goeinge forest.
One of Robber Mother's wild youngsters ran ahead of him, and close behind
him was the lay brother who had talked with Robber Mother in the herb
garden.

Abbot Hans had been longing to make this journey, and he was very happy
now that it had come to pass. But it was a different matter with the lay
brother who accompanied him. Abbot Hans wa