midnight
These men , said they who told the tidings , were outlanders , and no man had seen any like them before : they were armed , and bore short bows made of horn , and round targets , and coats-of-fence done over with horn scales ; they had crooked swords girt to their sides , and axes of steel forged all in one piece , right good weapons . They were clad in scarlet and had much silver on their raiment and about their weapons , and great rings of the same on their arms ; and all this silver seemed brand-new . Now the Woodland Carle gave them of such things as he had , and was kind and blithe to them : there were in his house besides himself five men of his sons and kindred , and his wife and three daughters and two other maids . So they feasted after the Woodlanders ' fashion , and went to bed a little before midnight . Two hours after , the carle awoke and heard a little stir , and he looked and saw the guests on their feet amidst the hall clad in all their war-gear ; and they had betwixt them his two youngest daughters , maids of fifteen and twelve winters , and had bound their hands and done clouts over their mouths , so that they might not cry out ; and they were just at point to carry them off . Thereat the goodman , naked as he was , caught up his sword and made at these murder-carles , and or ever they were ware of him he had hewn down one and turned to face the other , who smote at him with his steel axe and gave him a great wound on the shoulder , and therewithal fled out at the open door and forth into the wood . The Woodlander made no stay to raise the cry -LRB- there was no need , for the hall was astir now from end to end , and men getting to their weapons -RRB- , but ran out after the felon even as he was ; and , in spite of his grievous hurt , overran him no long way from the house before he had gotten into the thicket .