"No, indeed," quoth the pedlar.

"And you do not beg for alms."

"Not so long as I can keep myself."

"Then what, I pray thee, dost thou want here, and what may thy business
be?"

"Well, kind sir, to tell the truth, I dreamed that if I came hither, I
should hear good news."

Right heartily did the shopkeeper laugh.

"Nay, thou must be a fool to take a journey on such a silly errand. I'll
tell thee, poor silly country fellow, that I myself dream too o' nights,
and that last night I dreamt myself to be in Swaffham, a place clean
unknown to me, but in Norfolk if I mistake not, and methought I was in
an orchard behind a pedlar's house, and in that orchard was a great
oak-tree. Then meseemed that if I digged I should find beneath that tree
a great treasure. But think you I'm such a fool as to take on me a long
and wearisome journey and all for a silly dream. No, my good fellow,
learn wit from a wiser man than thyself. Get thee home, and mind thy
business."

When the pedlar heard this he spoke no word, but was exceeding glad in
himself, and returning home speedily, digged underneath the great
oak-tree, and found a prodigious great treasure. He grew exceeding rich,
but he did not forget his duty in the pride of his riches. For he built
up again the church at Swaffham, and when he died they put a statue of