noon
Well , they sped the work bravely for a while , and loud was the laughter as the hoes smote the earth and the flint stones tinkled and the cloud of dust rose up ; the brocaded dung-bearer went up and down , cursing and swearing by the White God and the Black ; and one would say to another , `` See ye how gentle blood outgoes churls ' blood , even when the gentle does the churl 's work : these lazy loons smote but one stroke to our three . '' But the King , who worked no worse than any , laughed not at all ; and meanwhile the poor folk stood by , not daring to speak a word one to the other ; for they were still sore afraid , not now of being slain on the spot , but this rather was in their hearts : `` These great and strong lords and knights have come to see what work a man may do without dying : if we are to have yet more days added to our year 's tale of lords ' labour , then are we lost without remedy . '' And their hearts sank within them . So sped the work ; and the sun rose yet higher in the heavens , and it was noon and more . And now there was no more laughter among those toiling lords , and the strokes of the hoe and mattock came far slower , while the dung-bearer sat down at the bottom of the hill and looked out on the river ; but the King yet worked on doggedly , so for shame the other lords yet kept at it . Till at last the next man to the King let his hoe drop with a clatter , and swore a great oath . Now he was a strong black-bearded man in the prime of life , a valiant captain of that famous Black Band that had so often rent the Turkish array ; and the King loved him for his sturdy valour ; so he says to him , `` Is aught wrong , Captain ? ''