SoRalphsmiledonhimandsaid：“Thouhastnoweapon，then？”
“Whatneedforweapon？”saidhe；“sincewearenotofmightforbattle。
Thisismyweapon。”saidhe，touchinghisfiddle，“andwithalitismyfieldandmineacrethatraisethflesh-meatandbreadforme：
yea，andwhilesalittledrink。”
Sotheyrodeontogetherandthemanwasblitheandmerry：
andRalphsaidtohim：“Sincewearefellowsforagoodwhile，asIsuppose，whatshallIcallthee？”Saidhe，“MorfinntheMinstrelIhight，toservethee，fairlord。
OrsomecallmeMorfinntheUnmanned。WiltthounotnowaskmeconcerningthatprivywordthatIhadforthyears？”
“Yea。”saidRalphreddening，“hathittodowithawoman？”
“Naughtless。”saidMorfinn。“ForIheardoftheeaskingmanyquestionsthereofinGoldburg，andIsaidtomyself，nowmayI，whoamboundforUtterness，doagoodturntothisfairyounglord，whosefacebewrayethhisheart，andtellethallmenthatheiskindandbounteous；sothatthereisnodoubtbuthewillrewardmewellatonceforanyhelpImaygivehim；
andalsoitmaybethathewilldomeagoodturnhereafterinmemoryofthisthatIhavedonehim。”
“Speak，wiltthounot。”saidRalph，“andtellmeatonceifthouhastseenthiswoman？BesurethatIshallrewardthee。”“Nay，nay，fairsir。”
saidMorfinn；“awomanIhaveseenbroughtcaptivetotheHouseofUtterbol。
Seethoutoitifitbeshewhomthouseekest。”
Hesmiledtherewith，butnowRalphdeemedhimnotsodebonnaireashehadatfirst，fortherewasmockinginthesmile；
thereforehewaswroth，butherefrainedhimandsaid：
“SirMinstrel，Iwotnotwhythouhastcomewithataleinthymouthanditwillnotoutofit：loyou，willthisopenthedoorsofspeechtothee“andhereachedhishandouttohimwithtwopiecesofgoldlyingtherein“orshallthis？”
andtherewithhehalfdrewhisswordfromhissheath。
SaidMorfinn，grinningagain：“Nay，Ifearnotthebaresteelinthinehands，Knight；forthouhastnotfoolwrittenplaininthyface；
thereforethouwiltnotslaythyway-leader，orevenangerhimovermuch。
Andastothygold，thewagesshallbepaidatthejourney’send。
Iwasbutseekingaboutinmymindhowbesttotelltheemytalesothatthoumightestbelievemyword，whichistrue。Thusitgoes：
AsIleftUtterbolamonthago，Isawadamselbroughtincaptivethere，andsheseemedtomesoexceedingfairthatIlookedhardonher，andaskedoneofthemen-at-armswhoismyfriendconcerningthemarketwhereatshewascheapened；andhetoldmethatshehadnotbeenbought，buttakenoutofthehandsofthewildmenfromthefurthermountains。
Isthataughtliketoyourstory，lord？”“Yea。”saidRalph，knittinghisbrowsineagerness。“Well。”saidMorfinn，“buttherearemorefairwomenthanoneintheworld，andbelikethisisnotthyfriend：
sonow，aswellasImay，Iwilltelltheewhat-likeshewas，andifthouknowesthernot，thoumaystgivemethosetwogoldpiecesandgobackagain。Shewastallratherthanshort，andslimratherthanbiglymade。Butmanywomenarefashionedso：
anddoubtlessshewaswornbytravel，sinceshehasatleastcomefromoverthemountains：butthatislittletotellherby：
herhands，andherfeetalsoforshewasahorsebackandbarefoot
wroughtwellbeyondmostwomen：yetsomightithavebeenwithsome：
yetfew，methinks，ofwomenwhohaveworkedafield，asIdeemhertohavedone，wouldhavehandsandfeetsoshapely：herfacetannedwiththesun，butwithfaircolourshiningthroughit；herhairbrown，yetwithafairbrightcolourshiningtherein，andveryabundant：
hercheekssmooth，roundandwellwroughtasanyimagercoulddothem：
herchinroundandcloven：herlipsfullandred，butfirm-setasifshemightbebothvaliantandwroth。Hereyessetwideapart，greyanddeep：herwholefacesweetofaspect，asthoughshemightbeexceedingkindtoonethatpleasedher；yethighandproudofdemeanouralso，meseemed，asthoughshewerecomeofgreatkindred。
Isthisaughtliketothyfriend？”
Hespakeallthisslowlyandsmoothlyandthatmockingsmilecameintohisfacenowandagain。Ralphgrewpaleashespokeandknittedhisbrowsasoneingreatwrathandgrief；andhewasslowtoanswer；
butatlasthesaid“Yea。”shortlyandsharply。
ThensaidMorfinn：“Andyetafterallitmightnotbeshe：
fortheremightbeanotherortwoeveninthesepartsofwhomallthismightbesaid。ButnowIwilltelltheeofherraiment，thoughtheremaybebutlittlehelptotheetherein，asshemayhaveshifteditmanytimessincethouhastseenher。Thusitwas：
shewascladoutwardlyinagreengown，shortofskirtasofonewonttogoafoot；somewhatstraightinthesleevesasofonewhohathhouseholdworktodo，andtherewasbroiderymanycolouredontheseamsthereof，andaborderofflower-workroundthehem：
andthisInoted，thatacantleoftheskirthadbeenrentawaybysomehapofthejourney。Nowwhatsayestthou，fairlord？
HaveIdonewelltobringtheethistale？”
“Oyea，yea。”saidRalph，andhemightnotcontainhimself；butsetspurstohishorseandgallopedonaheadforsomefurlongorso：
andthendrewreinandgatoffhishorse，andmadeasifhewouldseetohissaddle-girths，forhemightnotrefrainfromweepingthesweetandbittertearsofdesireandfear，sostirredthesoulwithinhim。
Morfinnrodeonquietly，andbythenhecameup，Ralphwasmountingagain，andwhenhewasinthesaddleheturnedawayhisheadfromhisfellowandsaidinahuskyvoice：
“Morfinn，Icommandthee，orifthouwiltIbeseechthee，thatthouspeaknottomeagainofthiswomanwhomIamseeking；
foritmovethmeovermuch。”“Thatiswell，lord。”saidMorfinn，“Iwilldoafterthycommand；andtherebemanyothermatterstospeakofbesidesonefairwoman。”
Thentheyrodeonsoberlyawhile，andRalphkeptsilence，asherodeponderingmuch；buttheminstrelhummedsnatchesofrhymeasherodetheway。
ButatlastRalphturnedtohimsuddenlyandsaid：“Tellme，way-leader，inwhatwisedidtheyseemtobeusingthatwoman？”
Theminstrelchuckled：“Fairlord。”saidhe，“ifIhadamindformockingImightsayoftheethatthoublowestbothhotandcold，sinceitwasbuthalfanhouragothatthoubadestmespeaknaughtofher：butIdeemthatIknowthymindherein：
soIwilltelltheethattheyseemedtobeusinghercourteously；
asisnomarvel；forwhowouldwishtomarsofairanimage？
O，itwillbewellwithher：InotedthattheLordseemedtothinkitgoodtoridebesideher，andeyeherallover。
Yea，sheshallhaveamerrylifeofitifshebutdosomewhataftertheLord’swill。”
Ralphlookedaskanceathimfiercely，buttheotherheededitnaught：
thensaidRalph，“Andhowifshedonothiswill？”SaidMorfinn，grinning：
“ThenhathmyLordamanyservantstodohiswill。”Ralphheldhispeaceforalongwhile；atlastheturnedaclearedbrowtoMorfinnandsaid；
“DostthoutelloftheLordofUtterbolthatheisagoodlordandmercifultohisfolkandservants？”
“Fairsir。”saidtheminstrel；“thouhastbiddenmenotspeakofonewoman，nowwillIpraytheenottospeakofoneman，andthatismyLordofUtterbol。”
Ralph’sheartfellatthisword，andheaskednoquestionastowherefore。
Sonowtheyrodeonboth，rathermorethansoberlyforawhile：
butthedaywasfair；thesunshone，thewindblew，andthesweetscentsfloatedaboutthem，andRalph’sheartcastoffitsburdensomewhatandhefelltospeechagain；andtheminstrelansweredhimgailybyseeming，notingmanythingsastheyrodealong，asonethattookdelightinthefashionoftheearth。
Itwasafreshandbrightmorningofearlyautumn，thesheaveswereontheacres，andthegrapeswereblackeningtothevintage，andthebeastsandbirdsatleastweremerry。
Butlittlemerrywerethehusbandmenwhomtheymet，eithercarlesorqueans，andtheywerescantilyandfoullyclad，andsullen-faced，ifnothunger-pinched。
Iftheycameacrossanysomewhatjoyous，itwashereandtherecertaingangrelfolkrestingonthewaysidegrass，orcomingoutofwoodsandotherpassesbytwosandthrees，whileswithachildortwowiththem。
Thesewereofaspectliketothegipsiesofourtimeandnation，andwerearmedallofthem，andmostlywellcladaftertheirfashion。
Sometimeswhentherewereasmanyasfourorfivecarlesofthemtogether，theywoulddrawupamidstofthehighway，butpresentlywouldturnasideatthesighteitherofRalph’swar-gearoroftheminstrel’sraiment。
Forsooth，someofthemseemedtoknowhim，andnoddedfriendlytohimastheypassedby，buthegavethembacknogoodday。
TheyhadnowriddenoutofthelandsofGoldburg，whichwerenarrowonthatside，andthedaywaswearingfast。
Thiswaythelandwasfairandrich，withnohillsofanysize。
Theycrossedabigrivertwicebybridges，andsmallstreamsoften，mostlybyfords。
Sometwohoursbeforesunsettheycameuponaplacewhereabywayjoinedthehighroad，andontheinglestoodachapelofstonewhetheroftheheathenorChristianmenRalphwottednot，foritwasuncouthoffashion，andbythedoorofthesaidchapel，onatussockofgrass，sataknightall-armedsavethehead，andbesidehimasquireheldhiswar-horse，andfiveothermen-at-armsstoodanighbearinghalberdsandaxesofstrangefashion。
Theknightrosetohisfeetwhenhesawthewayfarerscominguptherisingground，andRalphhadhishandonhissword-hilt；
buteretheymet，theminstrelsaid，——
“Nay，nay，drawthylet-pass，notthysword。Thisknightshaltbidtheetoacourteousjoust；butdothounay-sayit，forheisamerefelon，andshaltsethismen-at-armsonthee，andthenwillrobtheeandslaytheeafter，orcasttheeintohisprison。”
SoRalphdrewouthisparchmentwhichMorfinnhadgivenintohiskeeping，andhelditopeninhishand，andwhentheknightcalledoutonhiminaroughvoiceastheydrewanigh，hesaid：
“Nay，sir，Imaynotstaymenow，needdrivethmeon。”
Quoththeknight，smoothingoutaknittedbrow：“Fairsir，sincethouartafriendofourlord，wiltthounotcomehometomyhouse，whichishardby，andrestawhile，andeatamorsel，anddrinkacup，andsleepinafairchamberthereafter？”
“Nay，sir。”saidRalph，“fortimepresses；“andhepassedonwithal，andtheknightmadenosteptostayhim，butlaughedashortlaugh，likeaswinesnorting，andsathimdownonthegrassagain。
Ralphheededhimnaught，butwasgladthathislet-passwasshowntobegoodforsomething；buthecouldseethattheminstrelwasnighsickforfearandwasshakinglikeanaspenleaf，anditwaslongerehefoundhistongueagain。
Forththentheyrodetilldusk，whentheminstrelstayedRalphataplacewhereasortofhovelslaytogetheraboutahousesomewhatbetterbuilded，whichRalphtookforahostelry，thoughithadnosignnorbush。
Theyenteredthesaidhouse，whereinwasanoldwomantowhomtheminstrelspakeawordortwoinatonguethatRalphknewnot，andstraightwayshegotthemvictualanddrinknowiseill，andshowedthemtobedsthereafter。
Inspiteofbothvictualsanddrinktheminstrelfellsilentandmoody；
itmightbefromweariness，Ralphdeemed；andhehimselfhadnogreatlustfortalk，sohewentbedward，andmadethebedpayforall。
RalphHappensonEvilDaysEarlyonthemorrowtheydeparted，andnowinthemorninglightandthesuntheminstrelseemedgladagain，andtalkedabundantly，eventhoughatwhilesRalphansweredhimlittle。
Astheyrode，thelandbegantogetlessfertileandless，tillatlasttherewasbuttillagehereandthereinpatches：
ofhousestherewerebutfew，andtherestwasbutdarkheathlandandbog，withscraggywoodsscatteredaboutthecountry-side。
Naughthappenedtotellof，savethatonceintheafternoon，astheywereridinguptotheskirtsofoneofthewoodsaforesaid，weaponedmencameforthfromitanddrewupacrosstheway；