d for
aid; and after, she winning free of his fangs, it seemed he had marred
all her throat and face. Accordingly, when he arose in the morning, he
said to the lady, 'Wife, albeit thy frowardness hath never suffered me
to have a good day with thee, yet it would grieve me should ill betide
thee; wherefore, an thou wilt hearken to my counsel, thou wilt not go
forth the house to-day'; and being asked of her why, he orderly
recounted to her his dream.

The lady shook her head and said, 'Who willeth thee ill, dreameth thee
ill. Thou feignest thyself mighty careful of me; but thou dreamest of
me that which thou wouldst fain see come to pass; and thou mayst be
assured that I will be careful both to-day and always not to gladden
thee with this or other mischance of mine.' Quoth Talano, 'I knew thou
wouldst say thus; for that such thanks still hath he who combeth a
scald-head; but, believe as thou listeth, I for my part tell it to
thee for good, and once more I counsel thee abide at home to-day or at
least beware of going into our wood.' 'Good,' answered the lady, 'I
will do it'; and after fell a-saying to herself, 'Sawest thou how
artfully yonder man thinketh to have feared me from going to our wood
to-day? Doubtless he hath given some trull or other tryst there and
would not have me find him with her. Marry, it were fine eating for
him with blind folk and I should be a right simpleton an I saw not his
drift and if I believed him! But certes he shall not have his will;
nay, though I abide there all day, needs must I see what traffic is
this that he hath in hand to-day.'

Accordingly, her husband being gone out at one door, she went out at
the other and betook herself as most secretly she might straight to
the wood and hid herself in the thickest part thereof, standing attent
and looking now here and now there, an she should see any one come. As
she abode on this wise, without any thought of danger, behold, there
sallied forth of a thick coppice hard by a terrible great wolf, and
scarce could she say, 'Lord, aid me!' when it flew at her throat and
laying fast hold of her, proceeded to carry her off, as she were a
lambkin. She could neither cry nor aid herself on other wise, so sore
was her gullet straitened; wherefore the wolf, carrying her off, would
assuredly have throttled her, had he not encountered certain
shepherds, who shouted at him and constrained him to loose her. The
shepherds knew her and carried her home, in a pit