80 GOLDEN DAYS 



Now you tell us we may no longer come, 

 even the little corners of bitter grass you 

 have taken from our sheep.' But the 

 rich farmer only laughed, calling them 

 ignorant and foolish. He sent for other 

 workmen, who came all the way from 

 Vannes. So they laboured at his dyke 

 of stone to bar the way of the sea. But 

 the sea broke it at the next spring-tides ; 

 after that came the priest to reason with 

 him, to point out the people's ancient 

 rights, their poverty, their need of sea- 

 weed to manure their fields. But the 

 rich man made reply : ' I care not for the 

 people.' Then said the priest : ' I come 

 not from the people, but from God. 

 Monsieur, God does not sell his property.' 

 The rich man's only answer was a blas- 

 phemy. So the priest turned and re- 

 traced his steps swiftly through those 

 stolen lands, where the first blades were 

 showing green along the furrows, filled 

 with salt sea-water. 



" Then came a day when the dyke was 

 completed. The golden corn lay thick on 

 all the land. The rich man sat content 

 within his solid house of granite. Yet 



