The Hermit of the Pillar 509

coloured bills, as they waddled slowly onward
towards the city.

Among them walked a nut-brown little
maiden of seven, clad in a green woollen
tunic, with bright flaxen hair and innocent
blue eyes, and bare brown legs, and feet shod
in shoes of hide. In her hand she carried a
long hazel wand, with which she kept in rule
the large grey and white geese.

As the flock came up to the Hermit, she
gazed at him with her sweet wondering eyes,
for never had she seen so strange and awful
a man as this, with his sheepskin dress and
iron chain and crown of thorns, and skin
burnt black, and bleached hair and dark
brows stained with blood. For a moment
she stood still in awe and fear, but the Her-
mit raised his hand, and blessed her, and
smiled upon her; and even in that worn
and disfigured face the light in the Hermit’s
eyes as he smiled was tender and beautiful ;
and the child ceased to fear, and passed
slowly along, still gazing at him and smiling
in return.

In the rear of the great multitude of geese
came a churl, tall and young, and comely
enough for all his embrowning in the sun and