When at last they came to the forest of Arden, they no longer found
the convenient inns and good accommodations they had met with on the
road; and being in want of food and rest, Ganimed, who had so merrily
cheered his sister with pleasant speeches, and happy remarks, all the
way, now owned to Aliena that he was so weary, he could find in his
heart to disgrace his man's apparel, and cry like a woman; and Aliena
declared she could go no farther; and then again Ganimed tried to
recollect that it was a man's duty to comfort and console a woman, as
the weaker vessel: and to seem courageous to his new sister, he said,
"Come, have a good heart, my sister Aliena; we are now at the end of
our travel, in the forest of Arden." But feigned manliness and forced
courage would no longer support them; for though they were in the
forest of Arden, they knew not where to find the duke: and here the
travel of these weary ladies might have come to a sad conclusion, for
they might have lost themselves, and have perished for want of food;
but providentially, as they were sitting on the grass almost dying
with fatigue and hopeless of any relief, a countryman chanced to pass
that way, and Ganimed once more tried to speak with a manly boldness,
saying, "Shepherd, if love or gold can in this desert place procure
us entertainment, I pray you bring us where we may rest ourselves;
for this young maid, my sister, is much fatigued with travelling,
and faints for want of food."

The man replied, that he was only a servant to a shepherd, and that
his master's house was just going to be sold, and therefore they would
find but poor entertainment; but that if they would go with him, they
should be welcome to what there was. They followed the man, the near
prospect of relief giving them fresh strength; and bought the house
and sheep of the shepherd, and took the man who conducted them to
the shepherd's house, to wait on them; and being by this means so