XXIII DIGGING FOR GOLD

In the ancient times a poor decent labouring man dreamt three nights of finding a kist was hid in the fort near his home.

So away there he went for to dig, and not long was he working at all when he came on the beautiful gold.

“In troth I am rich from this out,” he calls at the height of his voice.

With that the whole treasure fell down through the earth: he should not have spoken at all. Then there came a powerful great cat, and it was the guard of the kist. Now the man had the wit to take hold of the appearance before him, and let it strive never so hard it could not contrive to escape. “I’ll hold you,” says he, “till you tell me where is the gold!” [190]

“Dig at the far side,” says a voice. But whether it came from the cat was past the man’s wit for to know.

Well he went over and began for to dig at the far side, and he came on a big copper pot. But no gold was in it at all.