The Well at the World's End: A Tale

  CHAPTER 2

  Ralph Rides the Wood Under the Mountains

  A long way now rode Ralph, and naught befell him but the fashion of thewood. And as he rode, the heart within him was lightened that he hadescaped from all the confusion and the lying of those aliens, who knewhim not, nor his kindred, and yet would all use him each for his ownends: and withal he was glad that he was riding all alone upon hisquest, but free, unwounded, and well weaponed.

  The wood was not very thick whereas he rode, so that he could see thewhereabouts of the sun, and rode east as far as he could judge it.Some little victual he had with him, and he found woodland fruitripening here and there, and eked out his bread therewith; neither didwater fail him, for he rode a good way up along a woodland stream thatcleft the thicket, coming down as he deemed from the mountains, andthereby he made the more way: but at last he deemed that he must needsleave it, as it turned overmuch to the north. The light was failingwhen he came into a woodlawn amidst of which was a pool of water, andall that day he had had no adventure with beast or man, since he hadsundered from Agatha. So he lay down and slept there with his nakedsword by his side, and awoke not till the sun was high in the heavensnext morning. Then he arose at once and went on his way after he hadwashed him, and eaten a morsel.

  After a little the thick of the wood gave out, and the land was nolonger flat, as it had been, but was of dales and of hills, not blindedby trees. In this land he saw much deer, as hart and wild swine; andhe happened also on a bear, who was about a honey tree, and had takenmuch comb from the wild bees. On him Ralph drew his sword and dravehim exceeding loth from his purchase, so that the knight dined off thebear's thieving. Another time he came across a bent where on the southside grew vines well fruited, and the grapes a-ripening; and he atewell thereof before he went on his way.

  Before nightfall he came on that same stream again, and it was nowrunning straight from the east; so he slept that night on the bankthereof. On the morrow he rode up along it a great way, till again itseemed to be coming overmuch from the north; and then he left it, andmade on east as near as he could guess it by the sun.

  Now he passed through thickets at whiles not very great, and betwixtthem rode hilly land grassed mostly with long coarse grass, and withwhin and thorn-trees scattered about. Thence he saw again from time totime the huge wall of the mountains rising up into the air like a greatblack cloud that would swallow up the sky, and though the sight wasterrible, yet it gladdened him, since he knew that he was on the rightway. So far he rode, going on the whole up-hill, till at last therewas a great pine-wood before him, so that he could see no ending to iteither north or south.

  It was now late in the afternoon, and Ralph pondered whether he shouldabide the night where he was and sleep the night there, or whether heshould press on in hope of winning to some clear place before dark. Sowhereas he was in a place both rough and waterless, he deemed it betterto go on, after he had rested his horse and let him bite the herbage awhile. Then he rode his ways, and entered the wood and made the mostof the way.