During a winter there was a lot of snow and all the roads were snowed up. A custom-house officer was passing through the forests of Orhey on his sledge. He lost his way. It was snowing heavily. When he saw that it was impossible to continue his vouage he ordered to stop the horses and spent the night at the margin of a forest. Around them there were only darkness, snowstorm and howling of hungry wolves.

The cachman saw a light in the distance. Two mercenaries were left in the sledge. The custom-house, a mercenary and the cachman went to that light. It was very difficult to walk. At last they reached a house surrounded by snow drifts. One could see a light in the window. Near the door there was a horse. The travellers entered the house. It was warm and comfortable in there. Near the fireplace there stood a handsome and stronf man, who invited them to sit at the fir and gave them to drink. The travellers decided to stay there till next morning. The host turned out to be talkative, a good story teller and a wonderful singer. The time was passing quickly. Then they began to speak about Kodreanu*. Much was said about the outlaw.The stranger began to ask what they knew and what they had heard about the outlaw. The custom-house officer began to speak badly of him. He called him all possible names: killer, vampire, silly. Malefactor, thief, etc. The mercenary contradicted him saying that the outlaw was a brave man who was not afraid of thief catches. On the contrary, he took them in as he liked. The poor cachman praized Kodreanu, he had only good words to say about him.He also said that if there had been more outlaws like Kodreanu the poor people would have lived better, and the Turks would have had fear. The officer ordered him to shut up, saying that he was talking nonsense. Then he continued to sneer and swear at Kodreanu: gabbling, distorting what people said about him. The host listened to him attentively and asked: “Would you tell me if Kodreanu believes in God?”

“Oh, no. He is worse than a pagan, worse that a Tatar!…” answered the officer warm with vodka and said that once Kodreanu entered a church on horseback during the divine service, and he was insolent with people there. Then he killed the priest and robbed the church.

The outlaw listened to that gabbling and distortions with pain in his heart. Then he said: “Well, as you say he is a killer… May be he is good and generous with poor people? May be he is helping their children?”

The officer only laughed, saying that Kodreanu was afraid of those rich and powerful, as to the poor people, he was torturing them with cruelty, because that was a pleasure for him. Then he quickly invented some facts to make everybody believe him.

Kodreanu could not stand that any more. He snatched the officer, threw him to the ground and bound his hands and feet. He bound fast both the mercenaries for them not to come to help the officer. Then, to vent his ill-humour, he took four horse-shoes out of his bag and attached them to the officer`s feet and hands. “That`s what you deserve, because you`ve jeered at poor people!” said the outlaw finishing his work. “ You may gabble about your flunkeys as much as you want, but I think you won`t gabble about us any more!”

He untied the coachman and told him: “Don`t you try to gabble like this flunkey. In case you do, I`ll skin you and salt your skin.”

In the morning the custom-house officer, who was sitting there surprised and unhappy, was taken to the sledge. Kodreanu gave money to all the rest of the people and ordered them to take the officer quickly to where he had to go.