The Hanging Tree

As the stranger settled himself down in the large comfortable armchair that had been placed by the fire especially for him, the rest of the customers arranged their chairs around him, eager to be able to hear well, the tale that was about to be told. Several tankards of ale were placed on a small table in front of him. He sat quietly for some minutes, his hands clasped, with two fingers steepled under his nose against his lips. Eventually, he leaned forward, picked up a tankard, took a long draft of ale, burped, set it back down on the table and sat back in his chair. ''The tale you are about to hear is true'' he said, glaring at them all one by one as if daring them to disagree with him once the story was told. ''And it will chill your bones.''