“Give it to the victims,” replied Ulenspiegel.
Lamme and Nele came; Nele, laughing and weeping for gladness, kissed her friend Ulenspiegel; Lamme, jumping heavily, smote him on the stomach, saying:
“This is a brave, a trusty, a faithful one; ’tis my beloved companion; ye have none such, ye others, ye folk of the flat country.”
But the fishermen laughed, mocking at him.
XLIV
The bell called Borgstrom rang next day to summon the bailiff, aldermen, and clerks of the court to the Vierschare on the four turf benches, under the tree of justice, which was a noble lime tree. All around were the common folk. Being interrogated the fishmonger would confess nothing, even when he was shown the three fingers severed by the soldier, and missing from his right hand. He kept saying:
“I am poor and old; have compassion.”
But the common folk hooted him, saying:
“Thou art an old wolf, a child killer; do not have pity on him, judges.”