tell her by:  her hands, and her feet also (for she was a horseback and barefoot) wrought well beyond most women:  yet so might it have been with some:  yet few, methinks, of women who have worked afield, as I deem her to have done, would have hands and feet so shapely:  her face tanned with the sun, but with fair colour shining through it; her hair brown, yet with a fair bright colour shining therein, and very abundant:  her cheeks smooth, round and well wrought as any imager could do them:  her chin round and cloven:  her lips full and red, but firm-set as if she might be both valiant and wroth.  Her eyes set wide apart, grey and deep:  her whole face sweet of aspect, as though she might be exceeding kind to one that pleased her; yet high and proud of demeanour also, meseemed, as though she were come of great kindred.  Is this aught like to thy friend?”

He spake all this slowly and smoothly and that mocking smile came into his face now and again.  Ralph grew pale as he spoke and knitted his brows as one in great wrath and grief; and he was slow to answer; but at last he said “Yea,” shortly and sharply.

Then said Morfinn:  “And yet after all it might not be she:  for there might be another or two even in these parts of whom all this might be said.  But now I will tell thee of her raiment, though there may be but little help to thee therein, as she may have shifted it many times since thou hast seen her.  Thus it was:  she was clad outwardly in a green gown, short of skirt as of one wont to go afoot; somewhat straight in the sleeves as of one who hath household work to do, and there was broidery many coloured on the seams thereof, and a border of flower-work round the hem:  and this I noted, that a cantle of the skirt had been rent away by some hap of the journey.  Now what sayest thou, fair lord?  Have I done well to bring thee this tale?”

“O yea, yea,” said Ralph, and he might not contain himself; but set spurs to his horse and galloped on ahead for some furlong or so:  and then drew rein and gat off his horse, and made as if he would see to his saddle-girths, for he might not refrain from weeping the sweet and bitter tears of desire and fear, so stirred the soul within him.

Morfinn rode on quietly, and by then he came up, Ralph was mounting again, and when he was in the saddle he turned away his head from his fellow and said in a husky voice:  “Morfinn, I command thee, or if thou wilt I beseech thee, that thou speak not to me again of this woman whom I am seeking; for it moveth me over much.”  “That is well, lord,” said Morfinn, “I will do after thy command; and there be many other matters to speak of besides one fair woman.”

Then they rode on soberly a while, and Ralph kept silence, as he rode pondering much; but the minstrel hummed snatches of rhyme as he rode the way.