It happened that the charcoal-burner and his wife
were speaking together, and the king heard what
they said, and this was the substance of their speech :
That Ameloc, the chief minister and uncle of
the king, had conspired against him, and as he
was gone a-hunting and had been lost, the people
agreed to have Ameloc to reign over them, whether
Auferus were alive or dead. Further, Ameloc had
set a price of a thousand ounces of gold on the head
of Auferus, whether alive or dead.
Now when the king heard this, then was he sore
abashed, and because he knew that the charcoal-
burner was honest and true, he declared himself to
him, and said that he would abide in the hut whilst
the man went into the city to see how matters were,



GENERIDES 171

and whether the nobles and the soldiery and the
people would receive him if he returned amongst
them, or whether they would slay him.
Then the charcoal-burner gladly undertook to
find out all this, and he was away for three
days ; and when he returned it was with a sad
countenance.
The people, he declared, had been so won by
the favour of Ameloc, who had made the conduits
run wine, and had scattered comfits on them from
the church towers, that they had shouted, "Long
live King Ameloc ! " And the soldiers had been
won by promises to be made all officers and to
have their pay doubled ; and the nobles had all
been secured, for they had been locked up in a
castle, and Ameloc had cut off the heads of such
as would not take the oath of allegiance to
him.
Then Auferus saw plainly that he could not
return to his capital city.
