` My children , ' she said , ` all the years that I have lived in the world , I have never heard of a shift spun from nettles . But what God commands , man can do . Why should not Renelde try it ? ' IV Renelde did try , and to her great surprise the nettles when crushed and prepared gave a good thread , soft and light and firm . Very soon she had spun the first shift , which was for her own wedding . She wove and cut it out at once , hoping that the Count would not force her to begin the other . Just as she had finished sewing it , Burchard the Wolf passed by . ` Well , ' said he , ` how are the shifts getting on ? ' ` Here , my lord , is my wedding garment , ' answered Renelde , showing him the shift , which was the finest and whitest ever seen . The Count grew pale , but he replied roughly , ` Very good . Now begin the other . ' The spinner set to work . As the Count returned to the castle , a cold shiver passed over him , and he felt , as the saying is , that some one was walking over his grave . He tried to eat his supper , but could not ; he went to bed shaking with fever . But he did not sleep , and in the morning could not manage to rise . This sudden illness , which every instant became worse , made him very uneasy . No doubt Renelde 's spinning-wheel knew all about it . Was it not necessary that his body , as well as his shroud , should be ready for the burial ? The first thing Burchard did was to send to Renelde and to stop her wheel . Renelde obeyed , and that evening Guilbert asked her : ` Has the Count given his consent to our marriage ? '
` No , ' said XXXXX .
Burchard Count Guilbert Renelde first morning nettles shroud spinner years