Allan strove to speak but found he could not and so sat on horse waiting. The girl calmly watched him from her place, yet was there mischief in her eyes.
"If you would, you may dismount from your horse and find place hither. There is room, as you see," she suggested.
The lad looked uncertain. Yet Sir Percival had already found place next to his mother and was now in earnest converse. So he found he could not do otherwise.
Now Yosalinde laughed at what showed so plainly his unwillingness to sit beside her.
"I shall not bite you. See how harmless I am? No witch, I hope, you think I am. For shame that youth, who would be brave knight, should fear a lady and in especial one so young as I."
"I fear you not," replied Allan hotly.
"Then perhaps you dislike me?" the minx questioned innocently.
"Certes, no. How could I?" the guileless youth replied.
"Then you do like me? Although I doubt I find any pride in that since I must need force the words from you."
At a loss now the lad could not answer. For the girl had better of him because of her quick tongue and he found she twisted his words and meaning to suit her taste. Yet finally, she turned the talk and so Allan found himself telling her of his high hopes. So simply too, without boasting, he told her of the fine words of Arthur to him. And last, because it had made its deep impress upon him, he spoke of Merlin's dream. And of this Yosalinde, now serious and wide eyed, questioned him closely, and soon knew all that he did.