to think of the truth as firm and proud； never having seen it in a slack moment。
That is a true connection； thought Taleswapper。 That is the meaning of the story。 That is the fulfilment of the prophecy。 The truth when we see it is ridiculous； and if we wish to worship it； we must never allow ourselves to see it。
In that moment of discovery； Taleswapper sprang to his feet。 He must find someone at once； to tell of this great discovery while he still believed it。 As his own proverb said 〃The cistern contains： the fountain overflows。〃 If he did not speak his tale； it grew dank and musty； it shrank inside him； while with the telling the tale stayed fresh and virtuous。
Which way？ The forest road； not three rods off； led toward a large white church with an oak…high steeple he had seen it； not a mile away； while up the tree。 It was the largest building Taleswapper had seen since he last visited in Philadelphia。 Such a large building for people to gather in implied that folks in this part of the land felt they had plenty of room for newers。 A good sign for an itinerant teller of tales； since he lived by the trust of strangers； who might take him in and feed him when he brought nothing with him to pay with； except his book； his memory； two strong arms； and sturdy legs that had carried him ten thousand miles and were good for at least five thousand more。
The road was rutted with wagon tracks； which meant it was often used； and in the low places it was firmed up with rails； making a good strong corduroy so that wagons wouldn't mire in rain…soaked soil。 So this was on its way to being a town； was it？ The large church might not mean openness at all it might speak more of ambition。 That's the danger of judging anything； thought Taleswapper： There are a hundred possible causes for every effect； and a hundred possible effects from every cause。 He thought of writing down that thought； but decided against it。 It had no traces on it save the prints of his own soul neither the marks of heaven nor of hell。 By this he knew that it hadn't been given to him。 He had forced the thought himself。 So it couldn't be prophecy； and couldn't be true。
The road ended in a mons not far from a river。 Taleswapper knew that from the smell of rushing water he had a good nose。 Around the mons were scattered several buildings； but the largest of all was a whitewashed clapboard two…story building with a small sign that said 〃Weaver's。〃
Now when a house has a sign on it； Taleswapper knew； that generally means the owners want people to recognize the place though they've never been shown the way； which is the same as to say that the house is open to strangers。 So Taleswapper went right up and knocked。
〃Minute！〃 came a shout from inside。 Taleswapper waited on the porch。 Toward one end were several hanging baskets； with the long leaves of various herbs dangling。 Taleswapper recognized many of them as being useful in various arts； such as healing； finding； sealing； and reminding。 He also recognized that the baskets were arranged so that； seen from a spot near the base of the door； they would form a perfect hex。 In fact； this was so pronounced an effect that Taleswapper squatted and finally lay prone on the porch to see it property。 The colors daubed on the baskets at exactly the correct points proved that it was no accident。 It was an exquisite hex of protection； oriented toward the doorway。
Taleswapper tried to think of why someone would put up such a powerful hex； and yet seek to conceal it。 Why； Taleswapper was probably the only person around likely to feel the whiff of power from something as passive as a hex； and so be drawn to notice it。 He was still lying there on the floor； puzzling about it； when the door opened and a man said； 〃Are you so tired； then； stranger？〃
Taleswapper leapt to his feet。 〃Admiring your arrangement of herbs。 Quite an aerial garden； sir。〃
〃My wife's；〃 said the man。 〃She fusses over them all the time。 Has to have them just so。〃
Was the man a liar？ No； Taleswapper decided。 He wasn't trying to hide the fact that the baskets made a hex and the trailing leaves intertwined to bind them together。 He simply didn't know。 Someone his wife； probably； if it was her garden had set up a protection on his house； and the husband didn't have a clue。
〃They look just right to me；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃I wondered how someone could arrive here； and me not hear the wagon nor the horse。 But from the looks of you； I'd guess you came afoot。〃
〃That I did； sir；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃And your pack doesn't look full enough to hold many articles to trade。〃
〃I don't trade in things； sir；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃What； then？ What but things can be traded？〃
〃Work； for one thing；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃I work for food and shelter。〃
〃You're an old man； to be a vagrant。〃
〃I was born in fifty…seven； so I still have a good seventeen years until I've used up my three…score and ten。 Besides； I have a few knacks。〃
At once the man seemed to shrink away。 It wasn't in his body。 It was his eyes that got more distant； as he said； 〃My wife and I do our own work here； seeing how our sons are right small yet。 We've no need of help。〃
There was a woman behind him now； a girl still young enough that her face hadn't grown hard and weathered； though she was solemn。 She held a baby in her arms。 She spoke to her husband。 〃We have enough to spare another place for dinner tonight； Armor〃
At that the husband's face went firm and set。 〃My wife is more generous than I am； stranger。 I'll tell you straight out。 You spoke of having a few knacks； and in my experience that means you make some claim to hidden powers。 I'll have no such workings in a Christian house。〃
Taleswapper looked hard at him； and then looked a bit softer at the wife。 So that was the way of it here： she working such hexes and spells as she could hide from her husband； and he flat rejecting any sign of it。 If her husband ever realized the truth； Taleswapper wondered what would happen to the wife。 The man Armor？ seemed not to be the murderous kind； but then； there was no telling what violence would flow in a man's veins when the flood of rage came undammed。
〃I understand your caution； sir；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃I know you have protections on you；〃 said Armor。 〃A lone man； afoot in the wild for all this way？ The fact that your hair is still on your head says that you must have warded off the Reds。〃
Taleswapper grinned and swept his cap off his head； letting his bald crown show。 〃Is it a true warding； to blind them with the reflected glory of the sun？〃 he asked。 〃They'd get no bounty for my scalp。〃
〃Truth to tell；〃 said Armor； 〃the Reds in these parts are more peaceable than most。 The one…eyed Prophet has built him a city on the other side of the Wobbish； where he teaches Reds not to drink likker。〃
〃That's good advice for any man；〃 said Taleswapper。
And he thought： A Red man who calls himself a prophet。 〃Before I leave this place I'll have to meet that man and have words with him。〃
〃He won't talk to you；〃 said Armor。 〃Not unless you can change the color of your skin。 He hasn't spoke to a White man since he had his first vision a few years back。〃
〃Will he kill me if I try？〃
〃Not likely。 He teaches his people not to kill White men。〃
〃That's also good advice；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃Good for White men； but it may not have the best result for Reds。 There's folks like so…called Governor Harrison down in Carthage City who mean naught but harm for all Reds； peaceable or not。〃 The truculence had not left Armor's face； but he was talking anyway； and from his heart； too。 Taleswapper put a great deal of trust in the sort of man who spoke his mind to all men； even strangers； even enemies。 〃Anyway；〃 Armor went on； 〃not all Reds are believers in the Prophet's peaceable words。 Them as follow Ta…Kumsaw are stirring up trouble down by the Hio； and a lot of folks are moving north to the upper Wobbish country。 So you won't lack for houses willing to take a beggar in you can thank the Reds for that； too。〃
〃I'm no beggar； sir；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃As I told you； I'm willing to work。〃
〃With knacks and hidden shiftiness； no doubt。〃
The man's hostility was the plain opposite of his wife's gentle weling air。 〃What is your knack； sir？〃 asked the wife。 〃From your speech you're an educated man。 You'd not be a teacher； would you？〃
〃My knack is spoken with my name；〃 he said。 〃Taleswapper。 I have a knack for stories。〃
〃For making them up？ We call that lying； hereabouts。〃 The more the wife tried to befriend Taleswapper； the colder her husband became。
〃I have a knack for remembering stories。 But I tell only those that I believe are true； sir。 And I'm a hard man to convince。 If you tell me your stories； I'll tell you mine； and we'll both be richer for the trade； since neither one of us loses what we started with。〃
〃I've got no stories；〃 said Armor； even though he had already told a tale of the Prophet and another of Ta…Kumsaw。
〃That's sad news； and if it's so； then I've e to the wrong house indeed。〃 Taleswapper could see that this truly wasn't the house for him。 Even if Armor relented and