good hands, for she takes excellent care of him. She throws a
halter over his head, rubs him down, curries him, and makes him
comfortable. Then she ties him to the manger and puts plenty of
fresh sweet hay and oats before him. Then she went back to her
father, who said to her: "Fair daughter dear, take now this
gentleman by the hand and show him all honour. Take him by the
hand upstairs." The maiden did not delay (for in her there was
no lack of courtesy) and led him by the hand upstairs. The lady
had gone before and prepared the house. She had laid embroidered
cushions and spreads upon the couches, where they all three sat
down Erec with his host beside him, and the maiden opposite.
Before them, the fire burns brightly. The vavasor had only one
man-servant, and no maid for chamber or kitchen work. This one
man was busy in the kitchen preparing meat and birds for supper.
A skilful cook was he, who knew how to prepare meal in boiling
water and birds on the spit. When he had the meal prepared in
accordance with the orders which had been given him, he brought
them water for washing in two basins. The table was soon set,
cloths, bread, and wine set out, and they sat down to supper.
They had their fill of all they needed. When they had finished
and when the table was cleared, Erec thus addressed his host, the
master of the house: "Tell me, fair host." he asked, "why your
daughter, who is so passing fair and clever, is so poorly and
unsuitably attired." "Fair friend," the vavasor replies, "many a
man is harmed by poverty, and even so am I. I grieve to see her
so poorly clad, and yet I cannot help it, for I have been so long
involved in war that I have lost or mortgaged or sold all my
land. (9) And yet she would be well enough dressed if I allowed
her to accept everything that people wish to give her. The lord
of this castle himself would have dressed her in becoming fashion