‘The two thieves had themselves been robbed by two youths, who eyed each other suspiciously over the sprawled, senseless bodies.

Fafhrd said: ‘Our motives for being here seem identical.’ ‘Surely, they must be!’ the Mouser answered curtly, fiercely eyeing his huge, potential foe.

Fafhrd glanced down at the belts and money-pouches of the fallen thieves. Then he looked up at the Mouser with an honest, open, ingenuous smile.

‘Sixty-sixty?’ he suggested.

Thus was born the most improbable relationship in the whole history of swords and sorceries.