when the young fellow returned home , he told what he had seen . " and now i must set out and try my luck , " said he . " i do not know whether i will return , but i must make the venture . " " o john , john by the ashes ! " said his brothers , and laughed at him . " well , it makes no difference , even though i am worthless , " said john by the ashes . " i must try my luck . " so the young fellow set out to wander to the place where the maidens lived . they had told him it was farther south than south , and farther north than north , in the great hill of gold . after he had gone a while , he met two poor lads who were quarreling with each other about a pair of old shoes and a bamboo cane , which their mother had left them .
quarreling with each other about a pair of old shoes and a bamboo cane .
what were the two poor lads doing when john by the ashes met them ?
what were the two poor lads doing when john by the ashes met them ?