The other day I went wandering Without any companion On my palfrey, thinking To make a song, When I heard?I don't know how? Near a bush The voice of the most beautiful child That any man has ever seen; And she was not a child, For she was fifteen and a half years old. I have never seen anyone With such a noble face. Laughing, I rode towards her And made this speech: 'Beautiful one, tell me, By God, what your name is.' But she jumped up With her crook: 'If you come any nearer, You'll get a blow from this. Sir, get away from here! I don't care for a friend such as you, And I'd rather choose A more handsome one called Robin!' When I saw that she was scared So thoroughly That she wouldn't look at me Or give any other positive sign, Then I began to think How to make her Fall in love with me And change her mind. I sat down on the ground beside her, And the more I looked upon her bright face, The more it fired my heart, Which doubled my desire. Then I took upon myself to ask her, In the most beautiful terms, To look at me And give me a different expression. She started to cry And said thus: 'I cannot look at you; I don't even know what you're after.' I leant towards her, and told her: 'My beautiful one, by God, your mercy.' She laughed and responded: 'You make folk scared.' Then I took her up before me And made straightaway In the direction of a small, green wood. Across the fields I saw And heard calling out Two shepherds amongst the wheat; They came shouting And raising a great cry. And I accomplished nothing more than I have said. I let her down and fled from there; I didn't care for such folk.