It chanced the song that Enid sang was one 345 Of Fortune and her wheel, and Enid sang:
“Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel and lower the proud; Turn thy wild wheel through sunshine, storm, and cloud; Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate.
“Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel with smile or frown; 350 With that wild wheel we go not up or down; Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great.
“Smile and we smile, the lords of many lands; Frown and we smile, the lords of our own hands; For man is man and master of his fate. 355
“Turn, turn thy wheel above the staring crowd; Thy wheel and thou are shadows in the cloud; Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate.”
“Hark, by the bird’s song you may learn the nest,” Said Yniol; “enter quickly.” Entering then, 360 Right o’er a mount of newly-fallen stones, The dusky-rafter’d many-cobwebb’d hall, He found an ancient dame in dim brocade; And near her, like a blossom vermeil-white, That lightly breaks a faded flower-sheath, 365 Moved the fair Enid, all in faded silk, Her daughter. In a moment thought Geraint, “Here by God’s rood is the one maid for me.” But none spake word except the hoary Earl: “Enid, the good knight’s horse stands in the court; 370 Take him to stall, and give him corn, and then Go to the town and buy us flesh and wine; And we will make us merry as we may. Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great.”
He spake: the Prince, as Enid pass’d him, fain 375 To follow, strode a stride; but Yniol caught His purple scarf, and held, and said, “Forbear! Rest! the good house, though ruin’d, O my son, Endures not that her guest should serve himself.” And reverencing the custom of the house, 380 Geraint, from utter courtesy, forbore.
So Enid took his charger to the stall; And after went her way across the bridge, And reach’d the town, and while the Prince and Earl Yet spoke together, came again with one, 385 A youth, that following with a costrel bore The means of goodly welcome, flesh and wine. And Enid brought sweet cakes to make them cheer, And in her veil enfolded, manchet bread. And then, because their hall must also serve 390 For kitchen, boil’d the flesh and spread the board, And stood behind, and waited on the three. And seeing her so sweet and serviceable, Geraint had a longing in him evermore To stoop and kiss the tender little thumb, 395 That crost the trencher as she laid it down: But after all had eaten, then Geraint, For now the wine made summer in his veins, Let his eye rove in following, or rest On Enid at her lowly handmaid-work, 400 Now here, now there, about the dusky hall; Then suddenly addrest the hoary Earl: