Apache help

back when i was running a straight woody install apache just worked.  no 
effort required.  with knoppix stuff works that i could never get to work 
with woody, but apache is the opposite.

i have my site files in /var/www, and host id set just like before but get:

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access / on this server.

Apache/1.3.27 Server at Sarge.llano Port 80

i'm going thru the how-tos and faq, but if some one can point me in the write 
direction it would be appreciated.