Whateverthouhastbeen，whatartthounow？Artthougoodorevil？
　　Wiltthoublessmeorbanme？ForitisthetruththatI
　　haveheardtalesandtalesofthee：manyweregood，thoughitmaybestrange；butsome，theyseemedtowarnmeofevilinthee。
　　Olookatme，andseeifIlovetheeornot！andImaynothelpit。
　　Sayonceforall，shallthatbeformyruinormybliss？
　　Ifthouhastbeenevil，thenbegoodthisonetimeandtellme。”
　　Sheneitherreddenednow，norpaledathiswords，buthereyesfilledwithtears，andranover，andshelookeddownonhimasawomanlooksonamanthatshelovesfromtheheart’sroot，andshesaid：“Omylordandlove，mayitbethatthoushaltfindmenoworsetotheethanthebestofallthosetales。
　　ForsoothhowshallItelltheeofmyself，when，whateverIsay，thoushaltbelieveeverywordItellthee？ButOmyheart，howshouldestthou，sosweetandfairandgood，betakenwiththeloveofanevilthing？AttheleastIwillsaythis，thatwhatsoeverIhavebeen，Iamgoodtothee——Iamgoodtothee，andwillbetruetothee。”
　　Hedrewherdowntohimashekneltthere，andtookhisarmsabouther，andthoughsheyetshrankfromhimalittleandtheeagerflameofhislove，hemightnotbegainsayed，andshegaveherselftohimandletherbodyglideintohisarms，andlovedhimnolessthanhelovedher。
　　Andtherebetweentheminthewildernesswasallthejoyoflovethatmightbe。
　　CHAPTER2
　　TheyBreakTheirFastintheWildwoodNowwhenitwashardonnoon，andtheyhadlainlonginthatgrassyplace，Ralphroseupandstooduponhisfeet，andmadeasonelistening。ButtheLadylookedonhimandsaid：
　　“Itisnaughtsaveahartandhishindrunninginthewood；
　　yetmayhappenwewerebestontheroad，foritisyetlong。”
　　“Yea。”saidRalph，“anditmaybethatmymasterwillgatherfolkandpursueus。”“Nay，nay。”shesaid，“thatweretowronghim，todeemthathewouldgatherfolktofollowoneman；ifhecome，hewillbebyhimselfalone。
　　WhenhefoundusgonehedoubtlesscasthimselfonSilverfax，myhorse，intrustofthebeastfollowingaftermyfeet。”
　　“Well。”saidRalph，“andifhecomealone，thereisyetaswordbetwixthimandthee。”
　　Shewasstandingupbyhimnowwithherhandonhisshoulder，“Hearnowthedarling，thechampion！howhetrustethwellinhisheartandhisrighthand。Butnay，Ihavecaredfortheewell。
　　Hearken，ifthouwiltnottakeitamissthatItelltheeallIdo，goodorevil。IsaidawordintheearofSilverfaxoreverIdeparted，andnowthegoodbeastknowsmymind，andwillleadthefiercelordalittleastray，butnottoomuch，lesthefollowuswithhiseagerheartandbeledbyhisownkeenwoodcraft。
　　Indeed，Ileftthehorsebehindtothatend，elsehadstthouriddenthewoodlandwayswithme，insteadofmywearyingtheebyourgoingafoot；andthouwiththyweaponsandwargear。”
　　Helookeduponhertenderly，andsaidsmiling：“Andthou，mydear，artthounotalittleweariedbywhatshouldwearyaknightandonebredafield？”“Nay。”shesaid，“seestthounothowIwalklightlyclad，whereasIhaveleftbehindmymantleandcote-hardie？”
　　Thereatshegathereduphergownintohergirdlereadyfortheway，andsmiledasshesawhiseyesembracethelovelinessofherfeet；
　　andshespakeasshemovedthemdaintilyontheflowerygrass：
　　“Soothtosay，Knight，Iamnoweaklingdame，whocannotmoveherlimbssaveinthedance，ortobackthewhitepalfreyandridethemeadows，goshawkonwrist；Iambothwell-knitandlight-footastheWood-wifeandGoddessofyoreagone。Manyatoilhathgonetothat，whereofImaytelltheepresently；butnowwewerebestonourway。
　　Yetbeforewego，Iwillatleasttelltheethis，thatinmyknowingofthesewoods，thereisnosorceryatall；forinthewoods，thoughnotinthesewoods，wasIbred；andherealsoIamathome，asImaysay。”
　　Handinhandthentheywentlightlythroughthehazelcopse，andsoonwasthewoodthickaboutthem，but，asbefore，theLadyledunfalteringlythroughthethicketpaths。NowRalphspakeandsaid：
　　“Itisgoodthatthouleadmewhitherthouwilt；butthisImaysay，thatitiscleartomethatwearenotonthewaytotheCastleofAbundance。”
　　“Evenso。”saidshe；“indeedhadIcometotheethere，asIwasminded，Ishouldpresentlyhavebroughttheeonthewaywhichwearewendingnow，oronenightoit；andthatisthatwhichleadethtoHamptonunderScaur，andtheFellowshipofChampionswhodwellontherock。”
　　SaidRalph：“Itiswell；yetwillItelltheethetruth，thatalittlesojourninthatfairhousehadlikedmebetter。
　　FainhadIbeentoseetheesittinginthineivorychairinthychamberofdaiswiththewallshungroundwiththeewoveninpictures——wiltthounottellmeinwordsthestoryofthosepictures？andalsoconcerningthebookwhichIread，whichwasalsoofthee？”
　　“Ah。”shesaid，“thouhastreadinthebook——well，Iwilltelltheethestoryverysoon，andthatthemoresincetherearematterswrittenwronginthebook。”Therewithshehurriedhimon，andherfeetseemednevertired，thoughnow，tosaysooth，hebegantogosomewhatheavily。
　　Thenshestayedhim，andlaughedsweetlyinhisface，andsaid：
　　“ItisalongwhilenowsincethebeginningoftheJuneday，andmeseemsIknowthylack，andtheslakingofitliethsomewhatnearerthanHamptonunderScaur，whichweshallnotreachthesetwodaysifwegoafootalltheway。”
　　“Mylack？”saidhe；“Ilacknoughtnow，thatImaynothavewhenIwill。”
　　Andheputhisarmsabouthershouldersandstrainedhertohisbosom。
　　Butshestrovewithhim，andfreedherselfandlaughedoutright，andsaid：“Thouartaboldman，andrash，myknight，evenuntome。
　　YetmustIseetoitthatthoudienotofhunger。”Hesaidmerrily：
　　“Yea，bySt。Nicholas，trueitis：awhileagoIfeltnohunger，andhadforgottenthatmeneat；forIwastroubledwithmuchlonging，andindoubtconcerningmylife；butnowamIfreeandhappy，andhungrytherewithal。”
　　“Look。”shesaid，pointinguptotheheavens，“itisnowpasttwohoursafternoon；thatisnightwohourssinceweleftthelawnamidstthehazels，andthoulongesttoeat，asisbutright，solovelyasthouartandyoung；andIwithallongtotelltheesomethingofthatwhereofthouhastaskedme；
　　andlastly，itisthehottestoftheday，yea，sohot，thatevenDiana，theWood-wifeofyoreagone，mighthavefaintedsomewhat，ifshehadbeengoingafootaswetwainhavebeen，andlittleistheriskofourrestingawhile。
　　Andherebyisaplacewhererestisgoodasregardstheplace，whatevertherestersmaybe；itisalittleasidethestraightestway，butmeseemswemayborrowanhourorsoofourjourney，andhopetopayitbackerenightfall。Come，champion！”
　　TherewithshelednorththroughathicketofmingledtreestillRalphheardwaterrunning，andanontheycametoalittlespaceaboutabrook，grassyandclearoftreessaveafewbigthorn-bushes，withagreenridgeorbankontheotherside。
　　Thereshestayedhimandsaid：“Dooffthywar-gear，knight。
　　Thereisnaughttofearhere，lessthantherewasamidstthehazels。”
　　Sodidhe，andshekneeleddownanddrankoftheclearwater，andwashedherfaceandhandstherein，andthencameandkissedhimandsaid：“LovelyimpofUpmeads，Ihavesomebreadoflastnight’smealinmyscriphere，andunderthebankIshallfindsomewoodlandmeatwithal；abidealittleandthetaleandthefoodshallcomebacktotheetogether。”
　　Therewithshesteppedlightlyintothestream，andstoodthereinaminutetolethernakedfeetfeelthecoldrippleforshehadstrippedoffherfoot-gearasshefirstcametothewater，andthenwenthitherandthithergatheringstrawberriesaboutthebank，whilehewatchedher，blessingher，tillhewellnighweptatthethoughtofhishappiness。
　　Backshecameinalittlewhilewithgoodstoreofstrawberriesinthelapofhergown，andtheysatdownonthegreenlipofthebrook，andshedrewthebreadfromherscripandtheyatetogether，andshemadehimdrinkfromthehollowofherhands，andkissedhimandweptoverhimforjoy，andtheeagernessofherlove。
　　Soatlastshesatdownquietlybesidehim，andfelltospeakingtohim，asataleistoldintheinglenookonanevenofYule-tide。
　　CHAPTER3
　　TheLadyTellethRalphofthePastDaysofHerLife“Nowshaltthouhearofmesomewhatmorethanthearrasandthebookcouldtellthee；andyetnotall，fortimewouldfailustherefor——
　　andmoreovermyheartwouldfailme。IcannottellwhereIwasbornnorofwhatlineage，norofwhoweremyfatherandmother；
　　forthisIhaveknownnotofmyself，norhasanytoldme。
　　ButwhenIfirstrememberanything，Iwasplayingaboutagarden，whereinwasalittlehousebuiltoftimberandthatchedwithreed，andthegreattreesoftheforestwereallaboutthegardensaveforalittlecroftwhichwasgrownoverwithhighgrassandanothersomewhatbigger，whereinweregoats。Therewasawomanatthedoorofthehouseandshespinning，yetcladinglitteringraiment，andwithjewelsonherneckandfingers；thiswasthefirstthingthatIremember，butallasitwereamatterofeveryday，anduseandwont，asitgoeswiththememoriesofchildren。
　　OfsuchmattersIwillnottelltheeatlarge，forthouknowesthowitwillbe。Nowthewoman，whoaslcametoknowwasneitheroldnoryounginthosedays，butofmiddleage，Icalledmother；butnowIknowthatshewasnotmymother。
　　Shewashardandsternwithme，butneverbeatmeinthosedays，savetomakemedowhatIwouldnothavedoneunbeaten；andastomeatIateanddrankwhatIcouldget，asshedid，andindeedwaswell-fedwithsimplemeatsasthoumayestsupposefromtheaspectofmeto-day。Butasshewasnotfiercebutrathersourtomeinherdailywontinmyyoungestdayssoalsoshewasnevertender，oreverkissedmeorcaressedme，foraslittleasIwas。
　　AndIlovedhernaught，nordiditevercomeintomymindthatI
　　shouldloveher，thoughIlovedawhitegoatofoursanddeemeditdearandlovely；andafterwardsotherthingsalsothatcametomefromtimetotime，asasquirrelthatIsavedfromaweasel，andajackdawthatfellfromatallash-treenighourhousebeforehehadlearnedhowtofly，andahouse-mousethatwouldrunupanddownmyhandandarm，andothersuch-likethings；
　　andshortlyImaysaythatthewildthings，eventotheconiesandfawnslovedme，andhadbutlittlefearofme，andmademehappy，andIlovedthem。
　　“Further，asIgrewup，thewomansetmetodosuchworkasI
　　hadstrengthforasneedswas；fortherewasnomandweltanighusandseldomdidIeverseemanorwomanthere，andheldnoconversewithany，saveasIshalltelltheepresently：
　　thoughnowandagainamanorawomanpassedby；whattheywereI
　　knewnot，northeirwhenceandwhither，butbyseeingthemIcametoknowthattherewereotherfolkintheworldbesidesustwo。
　　NoughtelseIknewsavehowtospin，andtotendourgoatsandmilkthem，andtosetsnaresforbirdsandsmalldeer：
　　thoughwhenIhadcaughtthem，itirkedmesoretokillthem，andIhadletthemgoagainhadInotfearedthecarline。
　　EverydayearlyIwasputforthfromthehouseandgarth，andforbiddentogobackthithertilldusk。Whilethedayswerelongandthegrasswasgrowing，Ihadtoleadourgoatstopastureinthewood-lawns，andmusttakewithmerockandspindle，andspinsomuchofflaxorhairasthewomangaveme，orbebeaten。
　　Butwhenthewintercameandthesnowwasontheground，thenthatwatchingandsnaringofwildthingswasmybusiness。
　　“AtlastonedayoflatesummerwhenI，nowofsomefifteensummers，waspasturingthegoatsnotfarfromthehouse，theskydarkened，andtherecameupsogreatastormofthunderandlightning，andhugedriftofrain，thatIwasafraid，andbeingsoneartothehouse，Ihastenedthither，drivingthegoats，andwhenIhadtetheredthemintheshedofthecroft，Icrepttremblinguptothehouse，andwhenI
　　wasatthedoor，heardtheclackoftheloomintheweaving-chamber，anddeemedthatthewomanwasweavingthere，butwhenIlooked，beholdtherewasnooneonthebench，thoughtheshuttlewasflyingfromsidetoside，andtheshedopeningandchanging，andthesleycominghomeindueorder。TherewithalIheardasoundasofonesingingasonginalowvoice，butthewordsIcouldnotunderstand：