human
Well, woodlander! cried the king, his stern voice ringing down again from the lofty rafters of the great hall.
gpt
Are there no deer in my forests of the north?
human
Deer in plenty, your majesty, answered the fellow with a mixture of deference and disrespect, which in truth seemed to tinge the manners of all present.
gpt
There are deer in the king's forest, and yet a lack of venison in the king's larder!
human
What mean you by that, you scoundrel? exclaimed the king, a flush overspreading his face, ruddy as his beard.
gpt
Have your marksmen lost their skill with bow and arrow, that you return destitute to the castle?
human
The marksmen are expert as ever, your majesty, and their arrows fly as unerringly to their billet, but in these rude times, your majesty, the sting of an arrow may not be followed by the whetting of a butcher's knife.
gpt
As I understand you, there was no difficulty in capturing the deer, but you encountered some obstacle between the forest and Stirling which caused you to return empty-handed. I hope you have not added the occupation of itinerant flesher to the noble calling of forest huntsman?
human
Indeed, your majesty, replied the unabashed hunter,
gpt
Ah! John Buchanan then happened to need venison as you passed?
human
Your majesty has hit the gold there. Buchanan not only needed it but took it from us.
gpt
Did you inform him that your cargo was intended for the larder of the king?
human
I told him that in so many words, your majesty; and he replied that if James was king in Stirling, John was king in Kippen, and having the shorter name, he took the shorter method of supplying his kitchen.
gpt
Made you any effort to defend your gear?
human
Truth to say, your majesty, that were a useless trial. The huntsman who will face the deer thinks no shame to turn his back on the wild boar, and Buchanan, when he demanded your majesty's venison, was well supported by a number of mad caterans with drawn swords in their hands, who had made up for a lack of good meat with a plentitude of strong drink. Resistance was futile, and we were fain to take the bannock that was handed to us, even though the ashes were upon it. Ronald of the Hills, a daft Heilan'man who knew no better, drew an arrow to his ear and would have pinned Buchanan to his own gate, resulting in the destruction of us all, had I not, with my stave, smote the weapon from his hand. Then the mad youth made such to-do that we had just to tie him up and bring him to Stirling on the horse's back like a sack of fodder.
gpt
Your caution does credit to your Lowland breeding, Master huntsman, and the conduct of Ronald cannot be too severely condemned. Bring him here, I beg of you, that he may receive the king's censure.