ood upon thee, nor any stain at all." 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.
So he hastened on to find what this might mean, and drew his sword as
he went. But when he came up to the rock, he found there two young men
and an elder, and they had with them five oxen, three for riding, and
two sumpter beasts, laden: and Ursula and these men were talking
together friendly; so that Ralph deemed that the new-comers must be the
messengers of the Innocent Folk. They were goodly men all three,
somewhat brown of skin, but well fashioned, and of smiling cheerful
countenance, well knit, and tall. The elder had a long white beard,
but his eye was bright, and his hand firm and smooth. They were all
clad in white woollen raiment, and bore no armour, but each had an axe
with a green stone blade, curiously tied to the heft, and each of the
young men carried a strong bow and a quiver of arrows.

Ralph greeted the men, and bade them sit down on the toft and eat a
morsel; they took his greeting kindly, and sat down, while Ursula went
into t