Spare. "Did you never see a man
coming down from a back window before?"

"Why," said the woodman, "the last morning I passed here, a leathern
doublet came out of that very window, and I feel sure you are the owner
of it."

"That I am, friend," said the cobbler eagerly. "Can you tell me which
way that doublet went?"

"As I walked on," said the woodman, "a dwarf, called Spy, bundled it up
and ran off to his mother in the forest."

"Honest friend," said Spare, taking off the last of his fine clothes (a
grass-green cloak edged with gold), "I will give you this if you will
follow the dwarf and bring me back my doublet."

"It would not be good to carry fagots in," said the woodman. "But if you
want back your doublet, the road to the forest lies at the end of this
lane;" and he trudged away.

Having made up his mind to find his doublet, and sure that neither crowd
nor nobles could catch him in the forest, Spare went on his way, and was
soon among the tall trees; but neither hut nor dwarf could he see.
Moreover, the night came on; the wood was dark and thick, but here and
there the moon shone through its lanes, the great owls flitted about,
and the nightingales sang. So he went on, hoping to find some place of
shelter.

At last the red light of a fire, shining through a thicket, led him to
the door of a low hut. It stood half open, as if there was nothing to
fear, and within he saw his brother Scrub snoring loudly on a bed of
grass, at the foot of which lay his own leathern doublet; while
Fairfeather, in a dress made of plaited rushes, sat roasting pheasants'
eggs by the fire.

"Good evening, mistress!" said Spare, stepping in.

The blaze shone on him, but so changed was her brother-in-law with his
Court life, that Fairfeather did not know him, and she answered far more
kindly than was her wont.

"Good evening, master! Whence come you so late? but speak low, for my
good man has tired himself cutting wood, and is taking a sleep, as you
see, before supper."

"A good rest to him!" said Spare, seeing he was not known. "I come from
the Court for a day's hunting, and have lost my way in the forest."

"Sit down and have a share of our supper," said Fairfeather, "I will put
some more eggs in the ashes; and tell me the news of Court--I used to
think of it long ago when I was young and foolish."

"Did you never go there?" said the cobbler. "So fair a dame as you would
make the ladies wonder."

"You are pleased to flat