“How was it now that I came to work in Sund’s parsonage?—­well, that doesn’t matter—­I could swing a scythe, but how old I was I don’t remember, for I don’t rightly know how old I am now.  The parson was a mighty good man, but God help us for the wife he had!  She was as bad to him as any woman could be, and he hadn’t a dog’s chance with her.  I have saved him twice from her grip, for he was a little scared mite of a thing, and she was big and strong, but I was stronger still, and I could get the better of her.  Once she chased him around the yard with a knife in her hand, and cried that she would be even with him.  I did not like that, so I took the knife from her and warned her to behave herself,—­but that wasn’t what I meant to say.  Well, once while I was working there I stood near the pond looking at the aftermath.  And up comes this same customer—­this Poorman—­drifting along the road toward me, and he had two women following him, and they each had a cradle on their backs and a child in each cradle.  ‘Good day to you,’ said I.  ’Same to you,’ said he; ’how is your cow?  Have you let her get into the marsh since?’ ‘Oh, no,’ said I, ‘and here is another thank-ye to you.’  ’Are you working in this here bit of a parsonage?’ said he.  ‘That I am,’ said I.  ‘Well, now listen,’ said he; ’couldn’t you hide me these two with their little ones a day or so? for to-morrow there is to be a raid on our people, and I wouldn’t like to have these in Viborghouse; I can stow myself away easy enough.’  ‘I’ll see what I can do,’ answered I; ’let them come, say a little after bedtime, to the West house there, and I’ll get a ladder ready and help them up on the hayloft,—­but have you food and drink yourself?’ ‘Oh, I shall do well enough,’ said he, ’and now farewell to you until the sun is down.’  So then they drifted along the road to a one-horse farm, and that evening they came, sure enough, and I hid the two women and the children until the second night; then they slipped away again.  Before I parted with them, the Poorman said, ’I’d like to repay you this piece of work:  isn’t there something you want very much?’ ‘Yes,’ said I.—­’What might it be?’—­’Hm!  The only thing is Morten’s Ane Kirstine at the farm where you went last night.  But her parents won’t let me have her; they say I have too little, and that is true too.’  ‘Hm, man,’ says he, ’you look as if you had a pair of strong arms of your own; that is a good heirloom, and she has some pennies,—­in a couple of days you might go and see what the old man’s mind is.  I’ll help along the best I know how.’  I listened to that, for evil upon them, those gipsies—­they are not such fools.  They can tell fortunes and discover stolen goods, and they can do both good and evil as it may happen.