They set fire to the same,
and then trundled it blazing round about the bale twelve times.
Then came to them twelve damsels clad in such-like guise as
the young men: then both bands, the young men and the maidens,
drew near to the bale, which was now burning low, and stood
about it, and joined hands, and so danced round it a while,
and meantime the fiddles played an uncouth tune merrily:
then they sundered, and each couple of men and maids leapt
backward and forward over the fire; and when they had
all leapt, came forward men with buckets of water which they
cast over the dancers till it ran down them in streams.
Then was all the throng mingled together, and folk trod
the embers of the bale under foot, and scattered them hither
and thither all over the square.
All this while men were going about with pitchers of wine and ale,
and other good drinks; and every man drank freely what he would,
and there was the greatest game and joyance.
But now was Ralph exceeding weary, and he said: "Father, mightest thou lead
me out of this throng, and show me some lair where I may sleep in peace,
I would thank thee blithely."
As he spake there sounded a great horn over the square, and the
Abbot rose in his place and blessed all the people once more.
Then said the monk:
"Come then, fair field-lord, now shalt thou have thy will of bed."
And he laughed therewith, and drew Ralph out of the throng and brought him
into the Abbey, and into a fair little chamber, on the wall whereof was
pictured St.
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