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After that people began to look at Farmer Giles and whisper behind his back It made him very uncomfortable; but he pretended not to notice it The next day the dragon caan to talk loudly of the scandal of the King&039;s knights &039;I should like to knohat they do to earn their keep,&039; said he

&039;So should we!&039; said everyone in Hahthood by sheer idius here is already a knight in asend him a red letter and a sword?&039;

&039;There&039;s hthood than a sword,&039; said Giles &039;There&039;s dubbing and all that, or so I understand Anyway I&039;vewould do the dubbing, I don&039;t doubt, if he were asked,&039; said the miller &039;Let us ask him, before it is too late!&039;

&039;Nay!&039; said Giles &039;Dubbing is not for my sort I am a farmer and proud of it: a plain honest man and honest men fare ill at court, they say It is more in your line, Master Miller&039;

The parson smiled: not at the far one another as good as they got, being boso was in Ham The parson had suddenly been struck with a notion that pleased him, but he said no more at that time The miller was not so pleased, and he scowled

&039;Plain certainly, and honest perhaps,&039; said he &039;But do you have to go to court and be a knight before you kill a dragon? Courage is all that is needed, as only yesterday I heard Master Aegidius declare Surely he has asby shouted: &039;Of course not!&039; and &039;Yes indeed! Three cheers for the Hero of Ha very unco that a local reputationup, and that , and hid the sword in a cupboard in the kitchen Up till then it had hung over the fireplace

The next day the dragon e of Quercetuue) He ate not only sheep and cows and one or two persons of tender age, but he ate the parson too Rather rashly the parson had sought to dissuade him from his evil ways Then there was a terrible commotion All the people of Ham came up the hill headed by their own parson; and they waited on Farmer Giles

&039;We look to you,&039; they said; and they re, until the farmer&039;s face was redder than his beard

&039;When are you going to start?&039; they asked

&039;Well, I can&039;t start today, and that&039;s a fact,&039; said he &039;I&039;ve a lot on hand with my cowman sick and all I&039;ll see about it&039;

They went away; but in the evening it was ruon had moved even nearer, so they all caidius,&039; they said

&039;Well,&039; said he, &039;it&039;s very aard forhas started I&039;ll see about it as soon as may be&039;

So they went away onceTheThe parson stayed behind, and could not be got rid of He invited himself to supper, and made some pointed remarks He even asked what had beco in a cupboard on a shelf hardly long enough for it, and as soon as Farht it out in a flash it leaped from the sheath, which the far to his feet, upsetting his beer He picked the sword up carefully and tried to put it back in the sheath; but it would not go so ain, as soon as he took his hand off the hilt

&039;Dear me! This is very peculiar!&039; said the parson, and he took a good look at both scabbard and blade He was a lettered e uncials with difficulty, and was none too sure of the reading even of his own nae letters that could di&039;s arns of power and significance upon swords and scabbards that he had not bothered his head about theht the, and he frowned He had expected to find so on the sword or on the scabbard, and that was indeed the idea that had come to him the day before; but noas surprised at what he saw, for letters and signs there were, to be sure, but he could not make head or tail of them

&039;There is an inscription on this sheath, and sons are visible also upon the sword,&039; he said

&039;Indeed?&039; said Giles &039;And what may that amount to?&039;

&039;The characters are archaic and the language barbaric,&039; said the parson, to gain time &039;A little closer inspection will be required&039; He begged the loan of the sword for the night, and the farot home he took down many learned books fro it was discovered that the dragon had moved nearer still All the people of Ham barred their doors and shuttered their s; and those that had cellars went down into theht

But the parson stole out and went froh a crack or a keyhole, what he had discovered in his study