And the damsel, for her part, looks about
her as if not knowing what the trouble is. Confused, she goes
hither and thither, not wishing to go straight up to him. Then
he begins to call again: "Damsel, come this way, here!" And the
damsel guided toward him her soft-stepping palfrey. By this ruse
she made him think that she knew nothing of him and had never
seen him before; in so doing she was wise and courteous. When
she had come before him, she said: "Sir knight, what do you
desire that you call me so insistently?" "Ah," said he. "prudent
damsel, I have found myself in this wood by some mishap--I know
not what. For God's sake and your belief in Him, I pray you to
lend me, taking my word as pledge, or else to give me outright,
that palfrey you are leading in your hand." "Gladly, sire: but
you must accompany me whither I am going." "Which way?" says he.
"To a town that stands near by, beyond the forest." "Tell me,
damsel, if you stand in need of me." "Yes," she says, "I do; but
I think you are not very well. For the next two weeks at least
you ought to rest. Take this horse, which I hold in my right
hand, and we shall go to our lodging-place." And he, who had no
other desire, takes it and mounts, and they proceed until they
come to a bridge over a swift and turbulent stream.
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