A maiden sat on a hillside weeping, weeping for her loss. She had no knight. She desperately wanted one. A man passing by asked her why she cried.
"I have no knight! I am all alone."
The man replied, "I am sure one will be along this road presently. I will sit and wait for him with you."
The man sat with the maiden. They talked about everything under the sun. He was knowledgable about plants, birds, animals, and geology. She was learned in stories and poetry. Many days passed as they waited for a knight, yet, they passed peacefully. The days were full of warmth and conversation. Neither could remember such pleasant times.
Their personalities were complimentary. They both found themselves wondering if they would rather a knight never show up. It seemed to go on and on, as if it would never end.
One day robbers came down the road. They drew their swords and threatened the maiden and the man if they did not surrender all of their valuables. The man simply laughed. He said that the robbers could have their choice. He would either give them his valuables or a note that would fetch them five times as much in town. They could have their pick. The robbers said that they would get both or kill him. The man said it was OK, he had lived a full life. If they didn't want the money they were free to kill him. The robbers were frustrated. They grabbed the maiden and said they would torture her if he did not give them both the note and his valuables. The man laughed.
"You are such fools! She means nothing to me. She is betrothed to a knight. I am just resting for a moment upon the trail."
The robbers let her go and agreed to take the note. They read it.
"Dear Banker:
When you see me come into town, take five pieces of gold and give it to the man with this note."
nbsp; -Signed, The Man
Knowing they had been outwitted, they took the note and left, happy to get the five pieces of gold.
The woman was very unhappy. She told the man she would rather have suffered the contempt of the
robbers rather than hear him say she meant nothing to him.
"So, you believed that?" He asked.
"You said it, didn't you?" She replied.
"I was managing a situation." He said.
"I'd have rather you managed it differently. You should have fought them off and never said such things." She turned her back on him.
"But, you were not harmed...?"
"Not by them!" She said.
The man stood and wondered what to do next... outwitting deadly robbers was one thing, but women... that was quite another...
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