This the goodman might nowise gainsay, and he saw no harm in it,
wherefore he bade them abide and be merry.
These men, said they who told the tidings, were outlanders, and no
man had seen any like them before: they were armed, and bore short
bows made of horn, and round targets, and coats-of-fence done over
with horn scales; they had crooked swords girt to their sides, and
axes of steel forged all in one piece, right good weapons. They were
clad in scarlet and had much silver on their raiment and about their
weapons, and great rings of the same on their arms; and all this
silver seemed brand-new.
Now the Woodland Carle gave them of such things as he had, and was
kind and blithe to them: there were in his house besides himself
five men of his sons and kindred, and his wife and three daughters
and two other maids. So they feasted after the Woodlanders' fashion,
and went to bed a little before midnight. Two hours after, the carle
awoke and heard a little stir, and he looked and saw the guests on
their feet amidst the hall clad in all their war-gear; and they had
betwixt them his two youngest daughters, maids of fifteen and twelve
winters, and had bound their hands and done clouts over their mouths,
so that they might not cry out; and they were just at point to carry
them off.
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