The Lady Tells of Her Deliverance "Now I had outgrown my old fear, and not much befell to quicken it: and ever I was as much out of the house as I could be.

But about this time my mistress, from being kinder to me than before, began to grow harder, and ofttimes used me cruelly: but of her deeds to me, my friend, thou shalt ask me no more than I tell thee.

On a day of May-tide I fared abroad with my goats, and went far with them, further from the house than I had been as yet.

The day was the fairest of the year, and I rejoiced in it, and felt as if some exceeding great good were about to befall me; and the burden of fears seemed to have fallen from me.

So I went till I came to a little flowery dell, beset with blossoming whitethorns and with a fair stream running through it; a place somewhat like to this, save that the stream there was bigger.