em, and bade Walter lay them on the wound,
which, forsooth, was of the least, and he did so, and bound a strip of
his shirt about her arm; and then would she set forth. But he said:
"Thou art all unshod; and but if that be seen to, our journey shall be
stayed by thy foot-soreness: I may make a shift to fashion thee brogues."

She said: "I may well go barefoot. And in any case, I entreat thee that
we tarry here no longer, but go away hence, if it be but for a mile."

And she looked piteously on him, so that he might not gainsay her.

So then they crossed the stream, and set forward, when amidst all these
haps the day was worn to midmorning. But after they had gone a mile,
they sat them down on a knoll under the shadow of a big thorn-tree,
within sight of the mountains. Then said Walter: "Now will I cut thee
the brogues from the skirt of my buff-coat, which shall be well meet for
such work; and meanwhile shalt thou tell me thy tale."

"Thou art kind," she said; "but be kinder yet, and abide my tale till we
have done our day's work. For we were best to make no long delay here;
because, though thou hast slain the King-dwarf, yet there be others of
his kindred, who swarm in some parts of the wood as the rabbits in a
warren. Now true it is that they have but little understanding, less, it
may be, than the very brute beasts; and that, as I said afore, unless
they be set on our slot like to hounds, they shall have no inkling of
where to seek us, yet might they happen upon us by mere misadventure. And
moreover, friend," quoth she, blushing, "I would beg of thee some little
respite; for though I scarce fear thy wrath any more, since thou hast
been so kind to me, yet is there shame in that which I have to tell thee.
Wherefore, since the fairest of the day is before us, let us use it all
we may, and, when thou hast done me my new foot-gear, get us gone forward
again."

He kissed her kindly and yea-said her asking: he had already fallen to
work on the leather, and in a while had fashioned her the brogues; so she
tied them to her feet, and arose with a smile and said: "Now am I hale
and strong again, what with the rest, and what with thy loving-kindness,
and thou shalt see how nimble I shall be to leave this land, for as fair
as it is. Since forsooth a land of lies it is, and of grief to the
children of Adam."

So they went their ways thence, and fared nimbly indeed, and made no stay
till some three hours after noon, whe