Hasten thou! or I shall deem thee a double fool who will not fare to fetch his meat, though he be hungry." Then Hallblithe laughed, and went down the hall into the buttery and found the meat, and ate his fill, and came away with the drink back to the Long-hoary man, who chuckled as he came and said: "Fill up now for thee and for me, and call a health to me and wish me somewhat." "I wish thee luck," said Hallblithe, and drank.

Said the elder: "And I wish thee more wits; is luck all that thou mayst wish me?
What luck may an outworn elder have ?" "Well then," quoth Hallblithe, "what shall I wish thee?
Wouldst thou have me wish thee youth ?" "Yea, certes," said the Long-hoary, "that and nought else." "Youth then I wish thee, if it may avail thee aught," said Hallblithe, and he drank again therewith.
"Nay, nay," said the old carle peevishly, "take a third cup, and wish me youth with no idle words tacked thereto." Said Hallblithe raising the cup: "Herewith I wish thee youth!" and he drank.
"Good is the wish," said the elder; "now ask thou the old carle whatso thou wilt." Said Hallblithe: "What is this land called ?" "Son," said the other, "hast thou heard it called the Isle of Ransom ?" "Yea," said Hallblithe, "but what wilt thou call it ?" "By no other name," said the hoary carle.
"It is far from other lands ?" said Hallblithe.
"Yea," said the carle, "when the light winds blow, and the ships sail slow." "What do ye who live here ?" said Hallblithe.

"How do ye live, what work win ye ?" "We win diverse work," said the elder, "but the gainfullest is robbing men by the high hand." "Is it ye who have stolen from me the Hostage of the Rose ?" said Hallblithe.
Said the Long-hoary, "Maybe; I wot not; in diverse ways my kinsmen traffic, and they visit many lands.

Why should they not have come to Cleveland also ?" "Is she in this Isle, thou old runagate ?" said Hallblithe.
"She is not, thou young fool," said the elder.

Then Hallblithe flushed red and spake: "Knowest thou the Puny Fox ?" "How should I not ?" said the carle, "since he is the son of one of my sons." "Dost thou call him a liar and a rogue ?" said Hallblithe.
The elder laughed; "Else were I a fool," said he; "there are few bigger liars or bigger rogues than the Puny Fox!" "Is he here in this Isle ?" said Hallblithe; "may I see him ?" The old man laughed again, and said: "Nay, he is not here, unless he hath turned fool since yesterday: why should he abide thy sword, since he hath done what he would and brought thee hither ?" Then he laughed, as a hen cackles a long while, and then said: "What more wilt thou ask me ?" But Hallblithe was very wroth: "It availeth nought to ask," he said; "and now I am in two minds whether I shall slay thee or not." "That were a meet deed for a Raven, but not for a man," said the carle, "and thou that hast wished me luck! Ask, ask!" But Hallblithe was silent a long while.