Thereon Geraint, dismounting, pick'd the lance That pleased him best, and drew from those dead wolves Their three gay suits of armor, each from each, And bound them on their horses, each on each. And tied the bridle-reins of all the three Together, and said to her, "Drive them on Before you," and she drove them thro' the wood. He follow'd nearer still: the pain she had To keep them in the wild ways of the wood, Two sets of three laden with jingling arms, Together, served a little to disedge The sharpness of that pain about her heart: And they themselves, like creatures gently born But into bad hands fall'n, and now so long By bandits groom'd, prick'd their light ears, and felt Her low firm voice and tender government. So thro' the green gloom of the wood they past, And issuing under open heavens beheld A little town with towers, upon a rock, And close beneath, a meadow gemlike chased In the brown wild, and mowers mowing in it: And down a rocky pathway from the place There came a fair-hair'd youth, that in his hand Bare victual for the mowers: and Geraint Had ruth again on Enid looking pale: Then, moving downward to the meadow ground, He, when the fair-hair'd youth came by him, said, "Friend, let her eat; the damsel is so faint." "Yea, willingly," replied the youth; "and thou, My lord, eat also, tho' the fare is coarse, And only meet for mowers;" then set down His basket, and dismounting on the sward They let the horses graze, and ate themselves. And Enid took a little delicately, Less having stomach for it than desire To close with her lord's pleasure; but Geraint Ate all the mowers' victuals unawares, And when he found all empty, was amazed; And, "Boy," said he, "I have eaten all, but take A horse and arms for guerdon; choose the best." He, reddening in extremity of delight, "My lord, you overpay me fifty-fold." "Ye will be all the wealthier," cried the Prince. "I take it as free gift, then," said the boy, "Not guerdon; for myself can easily, While your good damsel rests, return, and fetch Fresh victual for these mowers of our Earl; For these are his, and all the field is his, And I myself am his; and I will tell him How great a man thou art: he loves to know When men of mark are in his territory: And he will have thee to his palace here, And serve thee costlier than with mowers' fare." Then said Geraint, "I wish no better fare: I never ate with angrier appetite Than-when I left your mowers dinnerless. And into no Earl's palace will I go. I know, God knows, too much of palaces! And if he want me, let him come to me. But hire us some fair chamber for the night, And stalling for the horses, and return With victual for these men, and let us know."