of the folk thereof, or else they will compel me to do something,
and that will irk me less than doing deeds of mine own will."

He went his ways till he came to where the wood and the trees ended,
and the hills were lower and longer, well grassed with short grass,
a down country fit for the feeding of sheep; and indeed some sheep he saw,
and a shepherd or two, but far off. At last, after he had left the
stream awhile, because it seemed to him to turn and wind round over much
to the northward, he came upon a road running athwart the down country,
so that he deemed that it must lead one way down to the Swelling Flood;
so he followed it up, and after a while began to fall in with folk;
and first two Companions armed and bearing long swords over their shoulders:
he stopped as they met, and stared at them in the face, but answered
not their greeting; and they had no will to meddle with him,
seeing his inches and that he was well armed, and looked no craven:
so they went on.

Next he came on two women who had with them an ass between two panniers,
laden with country stuff; and they were sitting by the wayside, one old
and the other young. He made no stay for them, and though he turned
his face their way, took no heed of them more than if they were trees;
though the damsel, who was well-liking and somewhat gaily clad,
stood up when she saw his face anigh, and drew her gown skirt about
her and moved daintily, and sighed and looked after him as he went on,
for she longed for him.

Yet again came two men a-horseback, merchants clad goodly,
with three carles, their servants, riding behind them; and all
these had weapons and gave little more heed to him than he to them.
But a little after they were gone, he stopped and said within himself: