"There is one," quoth he, "who doth wander upon the hill-side, far from
her home, a lady of high degree; sawest thou any such," saith he, "for I
have sought her long?"

Now will I sing thee what was said and what happened, lest thou grow weary
of my prose:

_"I have not seen your lady here,"
The withered dame replied;
"But I have met a little lass
Who wrung her hands and cried._

_"She was not clad in silken robe,
Nor rode a palfrey white,
She had no maidens in her train,
Behind her rode no knight._

_"But she crept weary up yon hill
And crouched upon the sward;
I dare not think that she could be
Spouse to so great a lord."_

_Now darkly frowned Earl Roderick,
He turned his face away;
And shame and anger in his heart
Disturbed him with their sway._

_For he had never cared to know
What his young bride would wear;
He gave her neither horse nor hound,