"But what danger is to be dreaded from him?"
Instead of answering the question, she went again to the window and
looked out, saying she feared the fairies would be interrupted by foul
weather, for a storm was brewing in the west.
"And the sooner it grows dark, the sooner the Ash will be awake," added
she.
I asked her how she knew that there was any unusual excitement in the
woods. She replied-"Besides the look of the trees, the dog there is unhappy; and the eyes
and ears of the white rabbit are redder than usual, and he frisks about
as if he expected some fun. If the cat were at home, she would have
her back up; for the young fairies pull the sparks out of her tail with
bramble thorns, and she knows when they are coming. So do I, in another
way."
At this instant, a grey cat rushed in like a demon, and
disappeared in a hole in the wall.
"There, I told you!" said the woman.
"But what of the ash-tree?" said I, returning once more to the
subject. Here, however, the young woman, whom I had met in the morning,
entered. A smile passed between the mother and daughter; and then the
latter began to help her mother in little household duties.
"I should like to stay here till the evening," I said; "and then go on
my journey, if you will allow me."
"You are welcome to do as you please; only it might be better to stay
all night, than risk the dangers of the wood then. Where are you going?"
"Nay, that I do not know," I replied, "but I wish to see all that is to
be seen, and therefore I should like to start just at sundown." "You are
a bold youth, if you have any idea of what you are daring; but a rash
one, if you know nothing about it; and, excuse me, you do not seem very
well informed about the country and its manners. However, no one comes
here but for some reason, either known to himself or to those who have
charge of him; so you shall do just as you wish."
Accordingly I sat down, and feeling rather tired, and disinclined for
further talk, I asked leave to look at the old book which still screened
the window. The woman brought it to me directly, but not before taking
another look towards the forest, and then drawing a white blind over
the window. I sat down opposite to it by the table, on which I laid the
great old volume, and read. It contained many wondrous tales of Fairy
Land, and olden times, and the Knights of King Arthur's table. I read
on and on, till the shades of the afternoon began to deepen; for in
the midst of the forest it gloomed earlier than in the open country. At
length I came to this passage-"Here it chanced, that upon their quest, Sir Galahad and Sir Percivale
rencountered in the depths of a great forest. Now, Sir Galahad was dight
all in harness of silver, clear and shining; the which is a delight
to look upon, but full hasty to tarnish, and withouten the labour of a
ready squire, uneath to be kept fair and clean. And yet withouten squire
or page, Sir Galahad's armour shone like the moon. And he rode a great
white mare, whose bases and other housings were black, but all besprent
with fair lilys of silver sheen. Whereas Sir Percivale bestrode a red
horse, with a tawny mane and tail; whose trappings were all to-smirched
with mud and mire; and his armour was wondrous rosty to behold, ne could
he by any art furbish it again; so that as the sun in his going down
shone twixt the bare trunks of the trees, full upon the knights twain,
the one did seem all shining with light, and the other all to glow with
ruddy fire. Now it came about in this wise. For Sir Percivale, after his
escape from the demon lady, whenas the cross on the handle of his sword
smote him to the heart, and he rove himself through the thigh, and
escaped away, he came to a great wood; and, in nowise cured of his
fault, yet bemoaning the same, the damosel of the alder tree encountered
him, right fair to see; and with her fair words and false countenance
she comforted him and beguiled him, until he followed her where she led
him to a---"