"
Then she reddened, and said: "Ah, I forgot how keen-eyes thou art."
And she stood silent a little while, as he looked on her and loved
her sweetness. Then he said: "I am exceeding full of joy,
but my body is uneasy; so I will now go and skin that troll
who went so nigh to slay thee, and break up the carcase,
if thou wilt promise to abide about the door of the house,
and have thy sword and the spear ready to hand, and to don thine
helm and hauberk to boot."
She laughed and said: "That were but strange attire for a cook-maid, Ralph,
my friend; yet shall I do thy will, my lord and my love."
Then went Ralph into the cave, and brought forth the armour and did it on her,
and kissed her, and so went his ways to the carcase of the bear, which lay
some two furlongs from their dwelling; and when he came to the quarry
he fell to work, and was some time about it, so huge as the beast was.
Then he hung the skin and the carcase on a tree of the grove, and went
down to the river and washed him, and then went lightly homewards.
CHAPTER 14
Now Come the Messengers of the Innocent Folk
But when he had come forth from the chestnut-grove, and could
see the face of their house-rock clearly, he beheld new tidings;
for there were folk before the door of the dwelling, and Ursula was
standing amidst of them, for he could see the gleam of her armour;
and with the men he could see also certain beasts of burden,
and anon that these were oxen.
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