Advice

I am a traveler,
Long since wandering through woods.
In the cold and hot
Whether drenched in rain or hit by hail
I walk.
In my years of traveling
Seldom have I stopped,
And the several times I have
Now I wish I had not,
For far too often charlatans and bandits
My purse they had sought,
And held no qualms whether or not
My heart beat boldly
Or my sullied corpse would rot.

And here you are a traveler,
Wandering too.
Where are you traveling, why, and with who?
Take off your pack, rest, take my place.
Use my old kerchief to wipe the sweat from your face.
Now, friend, don't panic, don't scream, and don't run,
And you won't have to meet the raw end of my gun.
I'll have all your money,
And away I will race.
Have fun.