Seeking for a reason, he found
that on those nights that he had slept it was then that he had drunk
deepest of the crafty farmer's strong posset, and he was thereafter wary
of that drink. One night, having thrown the posset away without tasting
it, he made pretence of sleeping, and as he lay there on the heather and
watched with one eye open, behold the wolf came and carried off two
young goats.
Now it was not by any chance a four-legged wolf that did this thing. The
marauder was indeed none other than the wily farmer himself, who carried
the goats off to another place, there to keep them in secret, with the
many lambs that he had in like manner stolen, until he might, just as
secretly, take them over to Ayr market.
When Allan discovered the trick that had been played upon him he went
straightway to Earl Kenric and told him of it.
"If this be so," said the young king, "then David Blair shall be
severely punished, and you, Allan, shall be freed from this dog's work
at the next assize. But methinks that long ere this you might have
avoided this nightly watching. Know you not of that custom of old time
which holds that an offender against the laws shall be assoiled, or set
free from all penalty, on producing the heads of two wolves that he has
slain? Now, why have you not brought me your wolves' heads?"
"Alas!" said Allan, "I fear me that until the winter time comes there is
but one wolf in all Bute, and that is the werewolf Aasta the Fair.
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