Then when my mother brought me forth, what passèd at my bearing?’
And she makes answer:
‘Then when thy mother brought thee forth, ’twas deep and bitter winter,
Eleven days o’ the year had run when anguish came upon her.
Thereon[287] I robed me and did on this raiment that thou seëst,
And had it in my heart to cry “Long life to thee and riches.”
Ah, but the night was deep and dark, yea wrappèd thick in darkness,
And hail and snow were driving hard, and angry rain was lashing;
From mire to mud, from mud to mire, so lay my road before me,
And as I went,—a murrain on’t,—against your well I stumbled;