Whereas, if he would turn and fight, he would be in no peril at
all. "For the man with whom she hunteth," he said, "is more than a
mile behind her. And she is but a little body, scant half so much
as thou, and thy horns can thrust her through before she can touch
thy flesh, by more than ten times her tooth-length." "By my troth,"
quoth the other hart, "I like your counsel well, and methinketh
that the thing is even soothly as you say. But I fear me that when
I hear once that cursed bitch bark, I shall fall to my feet and
forget all together. But yet, if you will go back with me, then
methinketh we shall be strong enough against that one bitch between
us both." The other hart agreed, and they both appointed them
thereon. But even as they were about to busk them forward to it,
the bitch had found the scent again, and on she came yalping toward
the place. And as soon as the harts heard her, off they went both
twain apace!
And in good faith, uncle, even so I fear it would fare by myself
and many others too. Though we think it reason, what you say, and
in our minds agree that we should do as you say--yea, and
peradventure think also that we would indeed do as you say--yet as
soon as we should once hear those hell-hounds the Turks come
yalping and howling upon us, our hearts should soon fall as clean
from us as those other harts fled from the hounds.
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