earer and nearer. "Once, twice, when I say thrice, if you do not
unbuckle, I shall save you the trouble, and leave you to the wild
beasts, who would like a tender bit of prince's flesh better than pork.
Come; once! twice!" Eric was on his guard, and said, "I shall fight you,
you young robber, till death, rather than give you this band,--so keep
off." "Thrice!" shouted the herd, and down came his thick cudgel, which
he intended should fall on Eric's head. But Eric sprang aside, and
before he could recover himself, dashed in upon him, tripped him up, and
threw him on the grass, seizing him by the throat in a moment. The herd,
in his efforts to get out of Eric's grasp, let go his cudgel, which Eric
seized, and held over his head. "Unless you promise, Master Swineherd,
to leave me alone, I may leave _you_ alone with the wild beasts." "You
are stronger than I thought," said the herd. "Let me up, or I shall be
choked. Let me up, I say, and I promise to guide you." "I shall trust
you," said Eric, "though you would not trust me. Rise!" So the herd
rose, and picked up his cap, but Eric would not give him his stick until
he guided him to some house. "Come along," said he, sulkily. "What is
your name?" asked Eric. "They call me Wolf. I killed a wolf once with my
boar-spear." "Why, Wolf, did you try to kill me?" "Because I wanted your
gold belt." "But it is a great sin to rob and kill." "Other people rob
me, and would kill me too, if I did not take care of their pigs," said
Wolf, carelessly. "You should fear God, Wolf." "I fear that name truly,
for Ralph always swears by it when he is in a rage. But I do not know
what it means." "Oh, Wolf, surely your father and mother told you about
God, who made all things, and made you and me; God, who loves us, and
wishes us to love Him, and to do what is right?" "I have no father or
mother," replied Wolf, "nor brothers or sisters, and I do not know God.
No one cares for me but my pigs, and so I sleep with them, and eat with
them." "Poor fellow!" said Eric with a look of kindness, "I am sorry for
you. Here is all the money I have. Take it. I wish to shew you that I
have no ill-will to you;" and Eric gave him a gold coin. Wolf gave a
grunt like one of his pigs, and began his song of "Rub-a-dub." "No one
ever gave me money before," remarked Wolf almost to himself, as he
examined the coin on his rough hand, which looked like tanned leather.
"How much is this?" inquired Wolf. Eric explained its value.