While doing this, he saw a clerk coming to him in old, threadbareclothes. It was now seven years since he had seen a human being there,except the friends he had lost and Kigva who survived them. The clerk badehim good day and said he was going back to his country from England, wherehe had been singing. Then the clerk asked Manawydan what he was doing."Hanging a thief," said he; and when the clerk saw that it was a mouse, heoffered a pound to release it, but Manawydan refused. Then a priest cameriding up and offered him three pounds to release the mouse; but thisoffer was declined. Then he made a noose round the mouse's neck, and whilehe did this, a bishop's whole retinue came riding towards him. The bishopseemed, like everybody else, to be very desirous of rescuing the mouse; heoffered first seven pounds, and then twenty-four, and then added all hishorses and equipages; but Manawydan still refused. The bishop finallyasked him to name any price he pleased. "The liberation of Rhiannon andPryderi," he said. "Thou shalt have it," said the bishop. "And the removalof the enchantment," said Manawydan. "That also," said the bishop, "if youwill only restore the mouse." "Why?" said the other. "Because," said thebishop, "she is my wife." "Why did she come to me?" asked Manawydan. "Tosteal," was the reply.
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