as he went, he very near Met with a sorry end.

9.

And herbs sprang up, or creeping ran; The liquorice, and valerian, Clove-gillyflowers, sun-dressed; And nutmeg, good to put in ale, Whether it be moist or stale,—  Or to lay sweet in chest,

10.

The birds all sang, as tho’ ’twere May; The spearhawk, [32] and the popinjay, It was a joy to hear; The throstle cock made eke his lay, The wood-dove sung upon the spray, With note full loud and clear.

11.

Sir Thopas fell in love-longing All when he heard the throstle sing, And spurred his horse like mad, So that all o’er the blood did spring, And eke the white foam you might wring:  The steed in foam seemed clad.

12.

Sir Thopas eke so weary was Of riding on the fine soft grass, While love burnt in his breast, That down he laid him in that place To give his courser some soláce, Some forage and some rest.

13.

Saint Mary! benedicite! What meaneth all this love in me, That haunts me in the wood? This night, in dreaming, did I see An elf queen shall my true love be, And sleep beneath my hood.

14.

An elf queen will I love, I wis, For in this world no woman is Worthy to be my bride; All other damsels I forsake, And to an elf queen will I take, By grove and streamlet’s side.

15.

Into his saddle be clomb anon, And pricketh over stile and stone, An elf queen to espy; Till he so long had ridden and gone, That he at last upon a morn The fairy land came nigh.

16.

Therein he sought both far and near, And oft he spied in daylight clear Through many a forest wild; But in that wondrous land I ween, No living wight by him was seen, Nor woman, man, nor child.

17.

At last there came a giant gaunt, And he was named Sir Oliphaunt, A perilous man of deed: And he said, “Childe, by Termagaunt, If thou ride not from this my haunt, Soon will I slay thy steed With this victorious mace; For here’s the lovely Queen of 

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