“Alas!” said he, “if the lances, balls, swords, axes, maces, sparing me, fall on thy dear body, what shall I do—I, good for naught without thee in this vile world?”
But Nele said:
“I would fain follow thee; there will be no peril; I will hide in the wooden forts where the arquebusiers are.”
“If thou dost go, I stay, and they will hold thy friend Ulenspiegel traitor and coward; but listen to my lay:
“My hair is steel, as casque set there;
An armour forged by Nature’s hand
My skin the first is buff well tanned,
And steel the second skin I wear.
“In vain to catch me in his snare
Death, grinning monster, takes his stand;