hubbub then broke out again and everyone laying hands upon me, lifted me
shoulder-high, like a knight of the shire, and off like the wind we go,
over houses and lands, cities and realms, seas and mountains, unable to
notice aught so swiftly were they flying. And to make matters worse, I
began to have doubts of my companions from the way they frowned and
scowled when I refused to lampoon my king {4b} at their bidding.

"Well, now," said I to myself, "farewell to life; these accursed, arrant
sorcerers will bear me to some nobleman's larder or cellar and leave me
there to pay penalty by my neck for their robbery, or peradventure they
will leave me stark-naked and benumbed on Chester Marsh or some other
bleak and remote place." But on considering that those whose faces I
knew had long been buried, and that some were thrusting me forward, and
others upholding me above every ravine, it dawned upon me that they were
not witches but what are called the Fairies. Without delay I found
myself close to a huge castle, the finest I had ever seen, with a deep
moat surrounding it, and here they began discussing my doom. "Let us
take him as a gift to the castle," suggested one. "Nay, let us throw the
obstinate gallows-bird into the moat, he is not worth showing to our
great prince," said another. "Will he say his prayers before sleeping,"
asked a third. At the mention of prayer, I breathed a groaning sigh
heavenwards asking pardon and aid; and no sooner had I thought the prayer
than I saw a light, Oh! so beautiful, breaking forth in the distance. As
this light approached, my companions grew dark and vanished, and in a
trice the Shining One made for us straight over the castle: whereupon
they let go their hold of me and departing, turned upon me a hellish
scowl, and had not the Angel supported me I should have been ground fine
enough to make a pie long before reaching the earth.

"What is thy errand here?" asked the Angel. "In sooth, my lord," cried