Hearken closely, for this is the message:
'Seek not to me again till thou hast the token; else assuredly wilt
thou be slain, and I shall be sorry for many a day. Thereof as now I
may not tell thee more. Now as to the token: When March is worn two
weeks fail not to go to and fro on the place of the Maiden Ward for
an hour before sunrise every day till thou hear tidings.'
'Now,' quoth Bow-may, 'hast thou hearkened and understood?'
'Yea,' said he.
She said: 'Then tell me the words of my message concerning the
token.' And he did so word for word. Then she said:
'It is well, there is no more to say. Now must I lead thee till thou
knowest the wood; and then mayst thou get on to the smooth snow
again, and so home merrily. Yet, thou grey-eyed fellow, I will have
my pay of thee before I do that last work.'
Therewith she turned about to him and took his head between her
hands, and kissed him well favouredly both cheeks and mouth; and she
laughed, albeit the tears stood in her eyes as she said: 'Now
smelleth the wood sweeter, and summer will come back again. And even
thus will I do once more when we stand side by side in battle array.
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