"Peace be with you, brother," cried the youngest shepherd; "may your mother and father be blessed."
"May your heart be enlarged," the stranger answered, "and may all your families be more blessed than mine, for I have none."
"A homeless man," said the old shepherd, "has either been robbed by his fellows, or punished by God."
"I do not know which it was," answered the stranger; "the end is the same, as you see."
"By your speech you come from Galilee. Where are you going? What are you seeking here?"
"I was going nowhere, my masters; but it was cold on the way there, and my feet turned to your fire."
"Come then, if you are a peaceable man, and warm your feet with us. Heat is a good gift; divide it and it is not less. But you shall have bread and salt too, if you will."
"May your hospitality enrich you. I am your unworthy guest. But my flock?"
"Let your flock shelter by the south wall of the fold: there is good picking there and no wind. Come you and sit with us."
So they all sat down by the fire; and the sad shepherd ate of their bread, but sparingly, like a man to whom hunger brings a need but no joy in the satisfying of it; and the others were silent for a proper time, out of courtesy. Then the oldest shepherd spoke: