Adventure in the Wood Under the Mountains

Now was the night worn to the time appointed, for it was two hours
after midnight, so he stepped out of his tent clad in all his war gear,
and went straight to the doddered oak, and found Redhead there with but
one horse, whereby Ralph knew that he held to his purpose of going his
ways to Utterbol: so he took him by the shoulders and embraced him,
rough carle as he was, and Redhead kneeled to him one moment of time
and then arose and went off into the night. But Ralph got a-horseback
without delay and rode his ways warily across the highway and into the
wood, and there was none to hinder him. Though it was dark but for the
starlight, there was a path, which the horse, and not Ralph, found, so
that he made some way even before the first glimmer of dawn, all the
more as the wood was not very thick after the first mile, and there
were clearings here and there.

So rode Ralph till the sun was at point to rise, and he was about the
midst of one of those clearings or wood-lawns, on the further side
whereof there was more thicket, as he deemed, then he had yet come to;
so he drew rein and looked about him for a minute. Even therewith he
deemed he heard a sound less harsh than the cry of the jay in the
beech-trees, and shriller than the moaning of the morning breeze in the
wood. So he falls to listening with both ears, and this time deems
that he hears the voice of a woman: and therewith came into his mind
that old and dear adventure of the Wood Perilous; for he was dreamy
with the past eagerness of his deeds, and the long and lonely night.
But yet he doubted somewhat of the voice when it had passed his ears,
so he shook his rein, for he thought it not good to tarry.

Scarce then had his horse stepped out, ere there came a woman running
out of the thicket before him and made toward him over the lawn. So he
gat off his horse at once and went to meet her, leading his horse; and
as he drew nigh he could see that she was in a sorry plight; she had
gathered up her skirts to run the better, and her legs and feet were
naked: the coif was gone from her head and her black hair streamed out
behind her: her gown was rent about the shoulders and bosom, so that
one sleeve hung tattered, as if by the handling of some one.

So she ran up to him crying out: "Help, knight, help us!" and sank
down therewith at his feet panting and sobbing. He stooped down to
her, and raised her up, and sai