would come before her over and over again till she became weary and
worn out therewith.

But though they abode ever with her, these troubling thoughts pricked
not so oft at the keenest, but were as the dull ache of little import
that comes after pain overcome: for in sooth busy and toilsome days
did she wear, which irked her in nowise, since it eased her of the
torment of those hopes and fears aforesaid, and brought her sound
sleep and sweet awaking. The kine and the goats must she milk, and
plough and sow and reap the acre-land according to the seasons, and
lead the beasts to the woodland pastures when their own were flooded
or burned; she must gather the fruits of the orchard, and the hazel
nuts up the woodlands, and beat the walnut-trees in September. She
must make the butter and the cheese, grind the wheat in the quern,
make and bake the bread, and in all ways earn her livelihood hard
enough. Moreover, the bowman's craft had she learned, and at the
dame's bidding must fare alone into the wood now and again to slay
big deer and little, and win venison: but neither did that irk her
at all, for rest and peace were in the woods for her.

True it is, that as she wended thicket or glade or wood-lawn, she
would at whiles grow timorous, and tread light and heedfully, lest
rustling leaves or crackling stick should arouse some strange
creature in human shape, devil, or god now damned, or woman of the
faery. But if such were there, either they were wise and would not
be seen, or kind and had no will to scare the simple maiden; or else
maybe there were none such in those days. Anyhow, nought evil came
to her out of Evilshaw.