` No , you never were , ' said the knight ; ` for he is within two or three minutes of his latter end . ' ` But , ' says the Black Thief , ' I was within one moment of my death , and I am here yet . ' ` How was that ? ' says the knight ; ' I would be glad to hear it , for it seems impossible . ' ` If you think , sir knight , ' says the Black Thief , ` that the danger I was in surpasses that of this young man , will you pardon him his crime ? ' ' I will , ' says the knight , ` so go on with your story . ' ' I was , sir , ' says he , ' a very wild boy in my youth , and came through many distresses ; once in particular , as I was on my rambling , I was benighted and could find no lodging . At length I came to an old kiln , and being much fatigued I went up and lay on the ribs . I had not been long there when I saw three witches coming in with three bags of gold . Each put their bags of gold under their heads , as if to sleep . I heard one of them say to the other that if the Black Thief came on them while they slept , he would not leave them a penny . I found by their discourse that everybody had got my name into their mouth , though I kept silent as death during their discourse . At length they fell fast asleep , and then I stole softly down , and seeing some turf convenient , I placed one under each of their heads , and off I went , with their gold , as fast as I could . ' I had not gone far , ' continued the Thief of Sloan , ` until I saw a grey-hound , a hare , and a hawk in pursuit of me , and began to think it must be the witches that had taken the shapes in order that I might not escape them unseen either by land or water . Seeing they did not appear in any formidable shape , I was more than once resolved to attack them , thinking that with my broad sword I could easily destroy them . But considering again that it was perhaps still in their power to become alive again , I gave over the attempt and climbed with difficulty up a tree , bringing my sword in my hand and all the gold along with me . However , when they came to the tree they found what I had done , and making further use of their hellish art , one of them was changed into a smith 's anvil and another into a piece of iron , of which the third soon made a hatchet . Having the hatchet made , she fell to cutting down the tree , and in the course of an hour it began to shake with me . At length it began to bend , and I found that one or two blows at the most would put it down . I then began to think that my death was inevitable , considering that those who were capable of doing so much would soon end my life ; but just as she had the stroke drawn that would terminate my fate , the cock crew , and the witches disappeared , having resumed their natural shapes for fear of being known , and I got safe off with my bags of gold .
` Now , sir , ' says he to the Knight of the Glen , ` if that be not as great an adventure as ever you heard , to be within one blow of a hatchet of my end , and that blow even drawn , and after all to escape , I leave it XXXXX yourself . '
At as in on over than though through to within