Then he got him out of the hall and the castle, for no door was shut, and there was no man to be seen within or about the house.  So he walked to and fro the meadow and saw the neat-herds in the pasture, and the hay-making folk beyond them, and the sound of their voices came to him on the little airs that were breathing.  He thought he would talk to some of these folk ere the world was much older, and also he noted between the river and the wood many cots of the husbandmen trimly builded and thatched, and amidst them a little church, white and delicate of fashion; but as now his face was set toward the river because of the hot day.  He came to a pool a little below where a wooden foot-bridge crossed the water, and about the pool were willows growing, which had not been shrouded these eight years, and the water was clear as glass with a bottom of fine sand.  There then he bathed him, and as he sported in the water he bethought him of the long smooth reaches of Upmeads Water, and the swimming low down amidst the long swinging weeds between the chuckle of the reed sparrows, when the sun was new risen in the July morning.  When he stood on the grass again, what with the bright weather and fair little land, what with the freshness of the water, and his good rest, and the hope of adventure to come, he felt as if he had never been merrier in his life-days.  Withal it was a weight off his heart that he had escaped from the turmoil of the wars of the Burg of the Four Friths, and the men of the Dry Tree, and the Wheat-wearers, with the thralldom and stripes and fire-raising, and the hard life of strife and gain of the walled town and strong place.

When he came back to the castle gate there was the carline in the wicket peering out to right and left, seeking him to bring him in to dinner.  And when she saw him so joyous, with his lips smiling and his eyes dancing for mirth, she also became joyous, and said:  “Verily, it is a pity of thee that there is never a fair damsel or so to look on thee and love thee here to-day.  Far would many a maiden run to kiss thy mouth, fair lad.  But now come to thy meat, that thou mayest grow the fairer and last the longer.”

He laughed gaily and went into the hall with her, and now was it well dight with bankers and dorsars of goodly figured cloth, and on the walls a goodly halling of arras of the Story of Alexander.  So he sat to table, and the meat and drink was of the best, and the carline served him, praising him ever with fulsome words as he ate, till he wished her away.

After dinner he rested awhile, and called to the carline and bade her bring him his sword and his basnet.  “Wherefore?” said she.  “Whither wilt thou?”

Said he, “I would walk abroad to drink the air.”

“Wilt thou into the wildwood?” said she.

“Nay, mother,” he said, “I will but walk about the meadow and look on the hay-making folk.”