“I am a youth,” said he, “of good understanding [[55]]as this world goes, and I was born white—as white as the sand and crystal rocks about me.”
“Then,” said Massang, “we have need of you; come with us, and we four will live together.”
Not far from this place the four companions spied a little hill whereon stood a hut, strong and in good condition, but apparently quite deserted. Here they took up their abode and lived quietly for many days without any adventures. Every day three would go out to hunt and one would stay at home and prepare the midday meal, each taking this task in turn.
Now one morning, Massang, the Black Man and the White Man set forth to hunt, leaving the Green Man behind them, and at midday they returned, tired and hungry. To their dismay they found the ground in front of the hut much cut up by horses’ hoofs and the Green Man standing at the door, looking thoroughly puzzled and frightened. [[56]]
“Alas!” he cried. “My comrades, we shall all have to go dinnerless to-day, for, while I was cooking the stew in the big pot over the fire, a band of horsemen came upon me and took all that we had in the house, even the pot itself. Come in and see for yourselves.”
The three entered and, finding no sign of food, were forced to prepare for themselves a meal from the result of the morning’s hunt, which was difficult enough with no pot to cook it in. There seemed no reason to doubt the Green Man’s story, for the marks of the horses’ hoofs were clear and plain in the soft ground before the door of the hut. But Massang examined these marks very carefully and then came back and spoke sternly to the Green Man:
“Comrade, you have dealt falsely with us. However it came about that you lost our dinner, I know not, but of this I am sure, no horsemen came to our door this day. You made those hoof marks yourself [[57]]with a horseshoe. Tell us now the truth of the matter!” The Green Man gave Massang a sly, cunning look, but he said nothing.
The next day, having got another pot, Massang, the Green Man and the White Man set out to hunt, leaving the Black Man to watch the stew and get everything ready for the noon meal. When they returned, they found all as it had been the day before; dinner and everything to cook it in had vanished, the ground in front of the hut was cut up as with horses’ hoofs, and the Black Man was standing at the door empty-handed.
“They came again,” said he, “a band of many horsemen, and they took the pot of stew from the fire, and all else that I had prepared for you to eat. I was powerless to fight against them, they were so many.”
But Massang doubted his word, and after he had looked closely at the marks before the door, he said: [[58]]