He wore garments that looked as if they had been buried in a cinder heap, and a loose ragged mantle.

Behind him there shambled a sulky, ill-shapen mare with a bony carcase and bowed knees, and on her neck a clumsy iron halter.

With a rope her master hauled her along, with violent jerks that seemed as if they would wrench her head from her scraggy neck, and ever and anon the mare would stand and jib, when the man laid on her ribs such blows from a strong ironshod cudgel that they sounded like the surges of the sea beating on a rocky coast.
Short as was the distance from where the man and his horse were first perceived to where Finn was standing, it was long ere they traversed it.

At last, however, he came into the presence of Finn and louted before him, doing obeisance.

Finn lifted his hand over him and bade him speak, and declare his business and his name and rank.