the man,
"thou art a strong lad."

He seemed to fear the swords about him but little, and forsooth he was
a warrior-like man, and not ill-looking. He was of middle height,
strong and well-knit, with black hair like a beast's mane for
shagginess, and bright blue eyes. He was clad in a short coat of grey
homespun, with an ox-skin habergeon laced up over it; he had neither
helm nor hat, nor shoes, but hosen made of a woollen clout tied about
his legs; his shield of wood and ox-hide lay on the ground a few paces
off, and his hammer beside it, which he had dropped when Ralph first
handled him, but a great ugly knife was still girt to him.

Now Ralph saith to him: "Which wilt thou--be slain, or serve me?" Said
the carle, grinning, yet not foully: "Guess if I would not rather
serve thee!" "Wilt thou serve me truly?" said Ralph. "Why not?" quoth
the carle: "yet I warn thee that if thou beat me, save in hot blood, I
shall put a knife into thee when I may."

"O," said one, "thrust him through now at once, lord Ralph." "Nay, I
will not," said Ralph; "he hath warned me fairly. Maybe he will serve
me truly. Master Clement, wilt thou lend me a horse for my man to
ride?" "Yea," said Clement; "yet I misdoubt me of thy new squire."
Then he turned to the men-at-arms and said: "No tarrying, my masters!
To horse and away before they gather gain!"

So they mounted and rode away from that valley of the pass, and Ralph
made his man ride beside him. But the man said to him, as soon as they
were riding: "Take note that I will not fight against my kindred."
"None biddeth thee so," said Ralph; "but do thou take heed that if thou
fight against us I will slay thee outright." Said the man: "A fair
bargain!" "Well," said Ralph, "I will have thy knife of thee, lest it
tempt thee, as is the wont of cold iron, and a maiden's body." "Nay,
master," quoth the man, "leave me my knife, as thou art a good fellow.
In two hours time we shall be past all peril of my people, and when we
come down below I will slay thee as many as thou wilt, so it be out of
the kindred. Forsooth down there evil they be, and unkinsome."

"So be it, lad," said Ralph, laughing, "keep thy knife; but hang this
word of mine thereon, that if thou slay any man of this fellowship save
me, I will rather flay thee alive than slay thee." Quoth the carle:
"That is the bargain, then, and I yeasay it." "Good," said Ralph; "now
tell me thy name." "Bull Shockhead," said the ca