"What a man Zbyszko is!" said Macko; "there is no other like him in the world. He is brave and as agile as a wild-cat. Do you know that when they conducted him to the scaffold in Krakow, all the girls standing at the windows were crying, and such girls;—daughters of knights and of castellans, and also the beautiful townswomen."
"They may be beautiful and the daughters of castellans, but they are not better than my Jagienka!" answered Zych of Zgorzelice.
"Did I say they were better? It will be difficult to find a better girl than Jagienka."
"I do not say anything against Zbyszko either; he can stretch a crossbow without a crank."
"He can underprop a bear also. Did you see how he cut the bear? He cut the head and one paw off."
"He cut the head off, but he did not underprop it alone. Jagienka helped him."
"Did she? He did not tell me about that."
"Because he promised her not to tell anyone. The girl was ashamed because she went into the forest alone at night. She told me all about it; she never hides the truth. Frankly speaking, I was not pleased because who knows what might have happened. I wanted to scold her, but she said, 'If I be not able to preserve my wreath myself, how can you preserve it, you tatulu; but do not fear, Zbyszko knows what knightly honor is.'"
"That is true. They have gone alone to-day also."
"They will be back in the evening. But during the night, the devil is worse and the girl does not feel ashamed because of the darkness."