He had not long to wait, for soon, with a crown on her head, a lady,
royally arrayed, passed by out of the silvery moonlight into the dark
cave. It was none other than the Maiden of the Green Forest.
Now came a battle of magic and spells, as between the monk's own and
those of the Green Forest Maiden. He moved forward to the mouth of the
cave. Then summoning into his presence the spirits of the air and the
cave, he informed them as to Benlli's vow to enrich the monastery, and
to deliver the Green Forest Maiden to himself. Then, calling aloud, he
said:
"Let her forever be, as she now appears, and never leave my side."
"Bring her, before the break of day, to the cross near the town of the
White Minster, and there will I wed her, and swear to make her my
own."
Then, by the power of his magic, he made it impossible for any person
or power to recall or hinder the operation of these words. Leaving the
cave's mouth, in order to be at the cross, before day should dawn, the
first thing he met was a hideous ogress, grinning and rolling her
bleared red eyes at him. On her head seemed what was more like moss,
than hair.
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