en tree
that had lain by the scrip, and ran off to one of the kine and milked
the bowl full, and came back with it heedfully, and set it down beside
her and said: "This was the nighest thing to hand, but when thou hast
eaten and rested then shall we go to our house, if thou wilt be so kind
to me; for there have we better meat and wine to boot."

She looked up at him smiling, but her pleasure of the meat and the
kindness was so exceeding, that she might not refrain from tears also,
but she spake not.

As for him, he knelt beside her, looking on her wistfully; and at last
he said: "I shall tell thee, that I am glad that thou wert hungry and
that I have seen thee eating, else might I have deemed thee somewhat
other than a woman of mankind even yet."

She said: "Yea, and why wouldst thou not believe my word thereto?"

He said, reddening: "I almost fear to tell thee, lest thou think me
overbold and be angry with me."

"Nay," she said, "tell me, for I would know."

Said he: "The words are not easy in my rude mouth; but this is what
I mean: that though I be young I have seen fair women not a few, but
beside any of them thou art a wonder;....and loth I were if thou wert
not really of mankind, if it were but for the glory of the world."

She hung her head and answered nought a while, and he also seemed
ashamed: but presently she spake: "Thou hast been kind to us, wouldst
thou tell us thy name? and then, if it like thee, what thou art?"

"Lady," he said, "my name is easy to tell, I hight Christopher; and
whiles folk in merry mockery call me Christopher King; meseems because I
am of the least account of all carles. As for what else I am, a woodman
I am, an outlaw, and the friend of them: yet I tell thee I have never
by my will done any harm to any child of man; and those friends of mine,
who are outlaws also, are kind and loving with me, both man and woman,
though needs must they dwell aloof from kings' courts and barons'
halls."

She looked at him wondering, and as if she did not altogether understand
him; and she said: "Where dost thou dwell?"

He said: "To-day I dwell hard by; though where I shall dwell to-morrow,
who knows? And with me are dwelling three of my kind fellows; and the
dearest is a young man of mine own age, who is my fellow in all matters,
for us to live and die each for the other. Couldst thou have seen him,
thou wouldst love him I deem."

"What name hath he?" said Goldilind.

"He hight David," sa