The Lady Tells of Her Deliverance
"Now I had outgrown my old fear, and not much befell to quicken it: and
ever I was as much out of the house as I could be. But about this time
my mistress, from being kinder to me than before, began to grow harder,
and ofttimes used me cruelly: but of her deeds to me, my friend, thou
shalt ask me no more than I tell thee. On a day of May-tide I fared
abroad with my goats, and went far with them, further from the house
than I had been as yet. The day was the fairest of the year, and I
rejoiced in it, and felt as if some exceeding great good were about to
befall me; and the burden of fears seemed to have fallen from me. So I
went till I came to a little flowery dell, beset with blossoming
whitethorns and with a fair stream running through it; a place somewhat
like to this, save that the stream there was bigger. And the sun was
hot about noontide, so I did off my raiment, which was rough and poor,
and more meet for winter than May-tide, and I entered a pool of the
clear water, and bathed me and sported therein, smelling the sweet
scent of the whitethorns and hearkening to the song of the many birds;
and when I came forth from the water, the air was so soft and sweet to
me, and the flowery grass so kind to my feet, and the May-blooms fell
upon my shoulders, that I was loth to do on my rough raiment hastily,
and withal I looked to see no child of man in that wilderness: so I
sported myself there a long while, and milked a goat and drank of the
milk, and crowned myself with white-thorn and hare-bells; and held the
blossoms in my hand, and felt that I also had some might in me, and
that I should not be a thrall of that sorceress for ever. And that
day, my friend, belike was the spring-tide of the life and the love
that thou holdest in thy kind arms.
"But as I abode thus in that fair place, and had just taken my rock and
spindle in hand that I might go on with my task and give as little
occasion as I might for my mistress to chastise me, I looked up and saw
a child of man coming down the side of the little dale towards me, so I
sprang up, and ran to my raiment and cast them on me hastily, for I was
ashamed; and when I saw that it was a woman, I thought at first that it
was my mistress coming to seek me; and I thought within myself that if
she smote me I would bear it no more, but let it be seen which of the
twain was the mightier. But I looked again and saw that it was not she
but a woman smaller and older. So I stood where I was and abode her
coming, smiling and unafraid, and half-clad.
"She drew near and I saw that it was an old woman grey haired, uncomely
of raiment, but with shining bright eyes in her wrinkled face. And she
made an obeisance to me and said: 'I was passing through this lonely
wilderness and I looked down into the little valley and saw these goats
there and the lovely lady lying naked amongst them, and I said I am too
old to be afraid of aught; for if she be a goddess come back again from
yore agone, she can but make an end of a poor old carline, a gangrel
body, who hath no joy of her life now. And if she be of the daughters
of men, she will belike methink her of her mother, and be kind to me
for her sake, and give me a piece of bread and a draught of her goats'
milk.'
"I spake hastily, for I was ashamed of her words, though I only half
understood them: 'I hear thee and deem that thou mockest me: I have
never known a mother; I am but a poor thrall, a goatherd dwelling with
a mistress in a nook of this wildwood: I have never a piece of bread;
but as to the goats' milk, that thou shalt have at once.' So I called
one of my goats to me, for I knew them all, and milked her into a
wooden bowl that I carried slung about me, and gave the old woman to
drink: and she kissed my hand and drank and spake again, but no longer
in a whining voice, like a beggar bidding alms in the street, but frank
and free.
"'Damsel,' she said, 'now I see that thy soul goes with thy body, and
that thou art kind and proud at once. And whatever thou art, it is no
mock to say of thee, that thou art as fair as the fairest; and I think
that this will follow thee, that henceforth no man who seeth thee once
will forget thee ever, or cease to long for thee: of a surety this is
thy weird. Now I see that thou knowest no more of the world and its
ways than one of the hinds that run in these woods. So if thou wilt, I
will sit down by thee and tell thee much that shall avail thee; and
thou in thy turn shalt tell me all the tale concerning thy dwelling and
thy service, and the like.'
"I said, 'I may not, I durst not; I serve a mighty mistress, and she
would slay me if she knew that I had spoken to thee; and woe's me! I
fear that even now she will not fail to know it. Depart in peace.'
"'Nay,' she said, 'thou needest not tell me, for I have an inkling of
her and her ways: but I will give thee wisdom, and not sell it thee at
a price. Sit down then, fair child, on this flowery grass, and I will
sit beside thee and tell thee of many things worth thine heeding.' So
there we sat awhile, and in good sooth she told me much of the world
which I had not yet seen, of its fairness and its foulness; of life and
death, and desire and disappointment, and despair; so that when she had
done, if I were wiser than erst, I was perchance little more joyous;
and yet I said to myself that come what would I would be a part of all
that.
"But at last she said: 'Lo the day is waning, and thou hast two things
to do; either to go home to thy mistress at once, or flee away from her
by the way that I shall show thee; and if thou wilt be ruled by me, and
canst bear thy thralldom yet a little while thou wilt not flee at once,
but abide till thou hast seen me again. And since it is here that thou
hast met me, here mayst thou meet me again; for the days are long now,
and thou mayst easily win thy way hither before noon on any day.'
"So I tied my goatskin shoes to my feet, and drave my goats together,
and we went up together out of the dale, and were in the wide-spreading
plain of the waste; and the carline said: 'Dost thou know the quarters
of the heaven by the sun?' 'Yea,' said I. 'Then,' quoth she, 'whenso
thou desirest to depart and come into the world of folk that I have
told thee of, set thy face a little north of west, and thou shalt fall
in with something or somebody before long; but be speedy on that day as
thou art light-footed, and make all the way thou canst before thy
mistress comes to know of thy departure; for not lightly will any one
let loose such a thrall as thou.'
"I thanked her, and she went her ways over the waste, I wotted not
whither, and I drave my goats home as speedily as I might; the mistress
meddled not with me by word or deed, though I was short of my due tale
of yarn. The next day I longed sore to go to the dale and meet the
carline but durst not, and the next day I fared in likeways; but the
third day I longed so to go, that my feet must needs take me there,
whatsoever might befall. And when I had been in the dale a little,
thither came the carline, and sat down by me and fell to teaching me
wisdom, and showed me letters and told me what they were, and I learned
like a little lad in the chorister's school.
"Thereafter I mastered my fear of my mistress and went to that dale day
by day, and learned of the carline; though at whiles I wondered when my
mistress would let loose her fury upon me; for I called to mind the
threat she had made to me on the day when she offered up my white goat.
And I made up my mind to this, that if she fell upon me with deadly
intent I would do my best to slay her before she should slay me. But
so it was, that now again she held her hand from my body, and scarce
cast a word at me ever, but gloomed at me, and fared as if hatred of me
had grown great in her heart.
"So the days went by, and my feet had worn a path through the
wilderness to the Dale of Lore, and May had melted into June, and the
latter days of June were come. And on Midsummer Day I went my ways to
the dale according to my wont, when, as I as driving on my goats
hastily I saw a bright thing coming over the heath toward me, and I
went on my way to meet it, for I had no fear now, except what fear of
my mistress lingered in my heart; nay, I looked that everything I saw
of new should add some joy to my heart. So presently I saw that it was
a weaponed man riding a white horse, and anon he had come up to me and
drawn rein before me. I wondered exceedingly at beholding him and the
heart leaped within me at his beauty; for though the carline had told
me of the loveliness of the sons of men, that was but words and I knew
not what they meant; and the others that I had seen were not young men
or goodly, and those last, as I told thee, I could scarce see their
faces.
"And this one was even fairer than the dead woman that I had buried,
whose face was worn with toil and trouble, as now I called to mind. He
was clad in bright shining armour with a gay surcoat of green,
embroidered with flowers over it; he had a light sallet on his head,
and the yellow locks of his hair flowed down from under, and fell on
his shoulders: his face was as beardless as thine, dear friend, but
not clear brown like to thine but white and red like a blossom."
Ralph spake and said: "Belike it was a woman;" and his voice sounded
loud in the quiet place. She smiled on him and kissed his cheek, and
said: "Nay, nay, dear Champion, it is not so. God rest his soul! many
a year he has been dead."
Said Ralph: "Many a year! what meanest thou?" "Ah!" she said, "fear
not! as I am now, so shall I be for thee many a year. Was not thy fear
that I should vanish away or change into something unsightly and
gruesome? Fear not, I say; am I not a woman, and thine own?" And again
she flushed bright red, and her grey eyes lightened, and she looked at
him all confused and shamefaced.
He took her face between his hands and kissed her over and over; then
he let her go, and said: "I have no fear: go on with thy tale, for the
words thereof are as thy kisses to me, and the embracing of thine hands
and thy body: tell on, I pray thee." She took his hand in hers and
spake, telling her tale as before.
"Friend, well-beloved for ever! This fair young knight looked on me,
and as he looked, his face flushed as red as mine did even now. And I
tell thee that my heart danced with joy as I looked on him, and he
spake not for a little while, and then he said: 'Fair maiden, canst
thou tell me of any who will tell me a word of the way to the Well at
the World's End?' I said to him, 'Nay, I have heard the word once and
no more, I know not the way: and I am sorry that I cannot do for thee
that which thou wouldest.' And then I spake again, and told him that he
should by no means stop at our house, and I told him what it was like,
so that he might give it the go by. I said, 'Even if thou hast to turn
back again, and fail to find the thing thou seekest, yet I beseech thee
ride not into that trap.'
"He sat still on his saddle a while, staring at me and I at him; and
then he thanked me, but with so bad a grace, that I wondered of him if
he were angry; and then he shook his rein, and rode off briskly, and I
looked after him a while, and then went on my way; but I had gone but a
short while, when I heard horse-hoofs behind me, and I turned and
looked, and lo! it was the knight coming back again. So I stayed and
abided him; and when he came up to me, he leapt from his horse and
stood before me and said: 'I must needs see thee once again.'
"I stood and trembled before him, and longed to touch him. And again
he spake, breathlessly, as one who has been running: 'I must depart,
for I have a thing to do that I must do; but I long sorely to touch
thee, and kiss thee; yet unless thou freely willest it, I will refrain
me.' Then I looked at him and said, 'I will it freely.' Then he came
close up to me, and put his hand on my shoulder and kissed my cheek;
but I kissed his lips, and then he took me in his arms, and kissed me
and embraced me; and there in that place, and in a little while, we
loved each other sorely.
"But in a while he said to me: 'I must depart, for I am as one whom
the Avenger of Blood followeth; and now I will give thee this, not so
much as a gift, but as a token that we have met in the wilderness, thou
and I.' Therewith he put his hand to his neck, and took from it this
necklace which thou seest here, and I saw that it was like that which
my mistress took from the neck of the dead woman. And no less is it
like to the one that thou wearest, Ralph.
"I took it in my hand and wept that I might not help him. And he said:
'It is little likely that we shall meet again; but by the token of this
collar thou mayest wot that I ever long for thee till I die: for
though I am a king's son, this is the dearest of my possessions.' I
said: 'Thou art young, and I am young; mayhappen we shall meet again:
but thou shalt know that I am but a thrall, a goatherd.' For I knew by
what the old woman told me of somewhat of the mightiness of the kings
of the world. 'Yea,' he said, and smiled most sweetly, 'that is easy
to be seen: yet if I live, as I think not to do, thou shalt sit where
great men shall kneel to thee; not as I kneel now for love, and that I
may kiss thy knees and thy feet, but because they needs must worship
thee.'
"Therewith he arose to his feet and leapt on his horse, and rode his
ways speedily: and I went upon my way with my goats, and came down
into the Dale of Lore, and found the old woman abiding me; and she came
to me, and took me by the hands, and touched the collar (for I had done
it about my neck), and said:
"'Dear child, thou needest not to tell me thy tale, for I have seen
him. But if thou must needs wear this necklace, I must give thee a
gift to go with it. But first sit down by the old carline awhile and
talk with her; for meseemeth it will be but a few days ere thou shalt
depart from this uttermost wilderness, and the woods before the
mountains.'
"So I sat down by her, and in spite of her word I told her all that had
befallen betwixt me and the king's son: for my heart was too full that
I might refrain me. She nodded her head from time to time, but said
naught, till I had made an end: and then fell to telling me of many
matters for my avail; but yet arose earlier than her wont was; and when
we were about sundering on the path which I had trodden above the Dale,
she said: 'Now must I give thee that gift to go along with the gift of
the lover, the King's son; and I think thou wilt find it of avail
before many days are gone by.' Therewith she took from her pouch a
strong sharp knife, and drew it from the sheath, and flashed it in the
afternoon sun, and gave it to me; and I took it and laid it in my bosom
and thanked her; for I thought that I understood her meaning, and how
it would avail me. Then I went driving my goats home speedily, so that
the sun was barely set when I came to the garth; and a great horror
rather than a fear of my mistress was on me; and lo! she stood in the
door of the house gazing down the garth and the woodland beyond, as
though she were looking for my coming: and when her eyes lighted on me,
she scowled, and drew her lips back from her teeth and clenched her
hands with fury, though there was nought in them; and she was a tall
and strong woman, though now growing somewhat old: but as for me, I had
unsheathed the carline's gift before I came to the garth, and now I
held it behind my back in my left hand.
"I had stayed my feet some six paces from the threshold, and my heart
beat quick, but the sick fear and cowering had left me, though the
horror of her grew in my heart. My goats had all gone off quietly to
their house, and there was nothing betwixt me and her. In clearing
from my sleeve the arm of me which held the knife, the rough clasp
which fastened my raiment together at the shoulder had given way, and
the cloth had fallen and left my bosom bare, so that I knew that the
collar was clearly to be seen. So we stood a moment, and I had no
words, but she spake at last in a hard, snarling voice, such as she
oftenest used to me, but worse.
"'Now at last the time has come when thou art of no more use to me; for
I can see thee what thou hast got for thyself. But know now that thou
hast not yet drunk of the Well at the World's End, and that it will not
avail thee to flee out of this wood; for as long as I live thou wilt
not be able to get out of reach of my hand; and I shall live long: I
shall live long. Come, then, and give thyself up to me, that I may
deal with thee as I threatened when I slew thy friend the white goat;
for, indeed, I knew then that it would come to this.'
"She had but twice or thrice spoken to me so many words together as
this; but I answered never a word, but stood watching her warily. And
of a sudden she gave forth a dreadful screaming roar, wherewith all the
wood rang again, and rushed at me; but my hand came from behind my
back, and how it was I know not, but she touched me not till the blade
had sunk into her breast, and she fell across my feet, her right hand
clutching my raiment. So I loosed her fingers from the cloth,
shuddering with horror the while, and drew myself away from her and
stood a little aloof, wondering what should happen next. And indeed I
scarce believed but she would presently rise up from the ground and
clutch me in her hands, and begin the tormenting of me. But she moved
no more, and the grass all about her was reddened with her blood; and
at last I gathered heart to kneel down beside her, and found that she
no more breathed than one of those conies or partridges which I had
been used to slay for her.
"Then I stood and considered what I should do, and indeed I had been
pondering this all the way from the Dale thereto, in case I should
escape my mistress. So I soon made up my mind that I would not dwell
in that house even for one night; lest my mistress should come to me
though dead, and torment me. I went into the house while it was yet
light, and looked about the chamber, and saw three great books there
laid on the lectern, but durst not have taken them even had I been able
to carry them; nor durst I even to look into them, for fear that some
spell might get to work in them if they were opened; but I found a rye
loaf whereof I had eaten somewhat in the morning, and another
untouched, and hanging to a horn of the lectern I found the necklace
which my mistress had taken from the dead woman. These I put into my
scrip, and as to the necklace, I will tell thee how I bestowed it later
on. Then I stepped out into the twilight which was fair and golden,
and full fain I was of it. Then I drove the goats out of their house
and went my way towards the Dale of Lore, and said to myself that the
carline would teach me what further to do, and I came there before the
summer dark had quite prevailed, and slept sweetly and softly amongst
my goats after I had tethered them in the best of the pasture."