one am
Fritz , the swineherd , sat eating his late supper of porridge out of a great , coarse , wooden bowl ; wife Katherine sat at the other end of the table , and the half-naked little children played upon the earthen floor . A shaggy dog lay curled up in front of the fire , and a grunting pig scratched against a leg of the rude table close beside where the woman sat . `` Yes , yes , '' said Katherine , speaking of the matter of which they had already been talking . `` It is all very true that the Drachenhausens are a bad lot , and I for one am of no mind to say no to that ; all the same it is a sad thing that a simple-witted little child like the young Baron should be so treated as the boy has been ; and now that our Lord Baron has served him so that he , at least , will never be able to do us ` harm , I for one say that he should not be left there to die alone in that black cell . '' Fritz , the swineherd , gave a grunt at this without raising his eyes from the bowl . `` Yes , good , '' said Katherine , `` I know what thou meanest , Fritz , and that it is none of my business to be thrusting my finger into the Baron 's dish . But to hear the way that dear little child spoke when she was here this morn -- it would have moved a heart of stone to hear her tell of all his pretty talk .