The freeman had great cowhide shoes on his feet and was dressed in a tunic and coat of burlap and a cape, and around his waist was a knotted sheepskin belt. He was big and tall, black, and hairy, and he looked ruthless and evil, and he said, “I do not respect a king who loves his treasure too much and brings sorrow. Curses on a woebegone king who does not make a poor man wealthy when he can! I’ll give you the birds,” he said, “for I have nothing else that is worth anything, as you can see. You don’t have the heart to give a third of your wealth, which, in any case, will rot in the ground before you can dig it up! You can be sure that this weakens your honor and glory.”

When King Arthur heard the freeman’s speech, he looked at the other two kings and said to them,, “What devils have told this freeman that I have buried treasure?”

Then King Ban called the freeman over and asked him who had told him that. He answered not a word, but told King Arthur to have someone take the birds and he would go away.

“Now tell us,” said King Ban, “for the sake of your soul, who told you that the king had buried treasure?”

And the freeman answered, “A wildman named Merlin told me, and he said that he would come today to talk to the king.”

While they were talking, Ulfin came out of a room and went straight to where the king was pleading with the freeman.

“Say, now,” said the king, ‘how could I ever believe that you have spoken with Merlin?”

“If you want to,” said the freeman, “believe me; if you don’t want to, don’t believe me! I have got nothing from you, so let’s say we’re even.”

When Ulfin heard him, he began smiling, for he knew right away that it was Merlin.

Vulgate Merlin