TheyCometotheDryTreePresentlyastheyrodetheyhadbeforethemoneofthegreatestofthoseland-waves，andtheyclimbeditslowly，goingafootandleadingtheirhorses；butwhentheywerebutalittlewayfromthebrowtheysaw，overagapthereof，something，asitwerehugehornsrisingupintotheairbeyondthecrestoftheridge。
　　Sotheymarvelled，anddrewtheirswords，andheldthemstillawhile，misdoubtingifthiswereperchancesometerriblemonsterofthewaste；
　　butwhereasthethingmovednotatall，theypluckedupheartandfaredon。
　　Socametheytothebrowandlookedoveritintoavalley，aboutwhichonallsideswenttheridge，savewhereitwasbrokendownintoanarrowpassonthefurtherside，sothatthesaidvalleywasliketooneofthosetheatresoftheancientRomanFolk，whereofaresometobeseenincertainlands。
　　Neitherdidthosedesertbencheslacktheirsitters；
　　foralldownthesidesofthevalleysatorlaychildrenofmen；
　　somewomen，butmostmen-folk，ofwhomthemorepartwereweaponed，andsomewiththeirdrawnswordsintheirhands。
　　Whateversemblanceofmovingwasinthemwaswhentheeddyingwindofthevalleystirredtheragsoftheirraiment，orthelonghairofthewomen。Butaverymidmostofthisdrearytheatreroseupahugeandmonstroustree，whosetopmostbrancheswereeventhehornswhichtheyhadseenfrombelowthehill’sbrow。Leaflesswasthattreeandlackingoftwigs，anditsboleupheldbutsomefiftyofgreatlimbs，andastheylookedonit，theydoubtedwhetheritwerenotmadebymen’shandsratherthangrownupoutoftheearth。
　　Allroundabouttherootsofitwasapoolofclearwater，thatcastbacktheimageofthevalley-sideandthebrightskyofthedesert，asthoughithadbeenamirrorofburnishedsteel。
　　Thelimbsofthattreewereallbehungwithblazonedshieldsandknight’shelms，andswords，andspears，andaxes，andhawberks；
　　anditroseupintotheairsomehundredfeetabovetheflatofthevalley。
　　ForawhiletheylookeddownsilentlyontothismarvelthenfromboththeirlipsatoncecamethecryTHEDRYTREE。
　　ThenRalphthrusthisswordbackintohissheathandsaid：
　　“MeseemsImustneedsgodownamongstthem；thereisnaughttodousharmhere；forallthesearedeadliketheothersthatwesaw。”
　　Ursulaturnedtohimwithburningcheeksandsparklingeyes，andsaideagerly：“Yea，yea，letusgodown，elsemightwechancetomisssomethingthatweoughttowotof。”
　　Therewithshealsosheathedhersword，andtheywentbothofthemdowntogether，andthateasily；forasaforesaidtheslopewasasifithadbeencutintostepsfortheirfeet。
　　Andastheypassedbythedeadfolk，forwhomtheyhadoftentoturnaside，theynotedthateachofthedeadleatheryfaceswasdrawnupinagrinasthoughtheyhaddiedinpain，andyetbeguiled，sothatallthosevisageslookedsomewhatalike，asthoughtheyhadcomefromtheworkshopofonecraftsman。
　　AtlastRalphandUrsulastoodonthelevelgroundunderneaththeTree，andtheylookedupatthebranches，anddowntothewaterattheirfeet；
　　andnowitseemedtothemasthoughtheTreehadverilygrowthinit，fortheybehelditsroots，thattheywentoutfromthemoundorisletofearthintothewater，andspreadabroadtherein，andseemedtowaverabout。
　　SotheywalkedaroundtheTree，andlookedupattheshieldsthathungonitsbranches，butsawnoblazonthattheyknew，thoughtheyweremanyanddiverse；andthearmouralsoandweaponswereverydiverseoffashion。
　　Nowwhentheywerecomebackagaintotheplacewheretheyhadfirststayed，Ralphsaid：“Ithirst，andsobelikedostthou；
　　andhereiswatergoodandclear；letusdrinkthen，andsospareourwater-skins，forbelikethedrydesertisyetlong。”Andtherewithhekneltdownthathemighttakeofthewaterinthehollowofhishand。
　　ButUrsuladrewhimback，andcriedoutinterror：“ORalph，doitnot！
　　Seestthounotthiswater，thatalthoughitbebrightandclear，sothatwemayseeallthepebblesatthebottom，yetneverthelesswhenthewindeddiesabout，andliftstheskirtsofourraiment，itmakesnorippleonthefaceofthepool，anddoubtlessitisheavywithvenom；andmoreoverthereisnosignofthewayhereabout，asatotherwatering-steads；Oforbear，Ralph！”
　　Thenheroseupanddrewbackwithherbutslowlyandunwillinglyasshedeemed；andtheystoodtogetherawhilegazingonthesemarvels。
　　Butloamidstofthiswhile，therecameacrowwheelingoverthevalleyofthedead，andhecroakedovertheDryTree，andlethimselfdropdowntotheedgeofthepool，wherebyhestalkedaboutalittleafterthemannerofhiskind。Thenhethrusthisnebintothewateranddrank，andthereaftertookwingagain；
　　buterehewasmanyfeetoffthegroundhegaveagrievouscroak，andturningoverintheairfelldownstarkdeadclosetothefeetofthosetwain；andRalphcriedoutbutspakenowordwithmeaningtherein；
　　thensaidUrsula：“Yea，thusarewesavedfrompresentdeath。”
　　ThenshelookedinRalph’sface，andturnedpaleandsaidhastily：
　　“Omyfriendhowisitwiththee？”Butshewaitednotforananswer，butturnedherfacetothebentwherebytheyhadcomedown，andcriedoutinaloud，shrillvoice：“ORalph，Ralph！lookupyondertotheridgewherebyweleftourhorses；look，look！thereglittersaspearandstirreth！andloahelmunderneaththespear：
　　tarrynot，letussaveourhorses！”
　　ThenRalphletacryoutfromhismouth，andsetoffrunningtothesideoftheslope，andfelltoclimbingitwithgreatstrides，notheedingUrsula；butshefollowedcloseafter，andscrambledupwithfootandhandandknee，tillshestoodbesidehimonthetop，andhelookedaroundwildlyandcriedout：
　　“Where！wherearethey？”
　　“Nowhere。”shesaid，“itwasnaughtbutmywordtodrawtheefromdeath；
　　butpraisetothesaintsthatthouarecomealiveoutoftheaccursedvalley。”
　　Heseemednottohearken，butturnedaboutonce，andbeattheairwithhishands，andthenfelldownonhisbackandwithagreatwailshecastherselfuponhim，forshedeemedatfirstthathewasdead。
　　Butshetookalittlewaterfromoneoftheirskins，andcastitintohisface，andtookaflaskofcordialfromherpouch，andsetittohislips，andmadehimdrinksomewhatthereof。
　　Soinawhilehecametohimselfandopenedhiseyesandsmileduponher，andshetookhisheadinherhandsandkissedhischeek，andhesatupandsaidfeebly：“Shallwenotgodownintothevalley？
　　thereisnaughttheretoharmus。”
　　“Wehavebeendowntherealready。”shesaid，“andwellitisthatwearenotbothlyingtherenow。”
　　Thenhegottohisfeet，andstretchedhimself，andyawnedlikeonejustawakenedfromlongsleep。Butshesaid：
　　“Letustohorseandbegone；itisearlyhourstoslumber，forthosethatareseekingtheWellattheWorld’sEnd。”
　　Hesmiledonheragainandtookherhand，andsheledhimtohishorse，andhelpedhimtillhewasinthesaddleandlightlyshegata-horseback，andtheyrodeawayswiftlyfromthatevilplace；
　　andafterawhileRalphwashimselfagain，andrememberedallthathadhappenedtillhefelldownonthebrowoftheridge。
　　ThenhepraisedUrsula’swisdomandvaliancytillshebadehimforbearlesthewearyher。Albeitshedrewupclosetohimandkissedhisfacesweetly。
　　CHAPTER19
　　TheyComeOutoftheThirstyDesertPasttheValleyoftheDryTreetheysawbutfewdeadmenlyingabout，andsoontheysawneveranother：
　　and，thoughthelandwasstillutterlybarren，andallcastupintoridgesasbefore，yetthesaltslimegrewlessandless，andbeforenightfallofthatdaytheyhaddonewithit：
　　andthenextdaythosestonywaveswerelower；andthenextagainthewastewasbutaswellingplain，andhereandtheretheycameonpatchesofdwarfwillow，andotherharshandscantyherbage，whereofthehorsesmighthaveabait，whichtheysoreneeded，fornowwastheirfodderdone：
　　butbothmenandhorsesweresoreathirst；for，ascarefullyastheyhadhoardedtheirwater，therewasnowbutlittleleft，whichtheydurstnotdrinktilltheyweredrivenperforce，lesttheyshouldyetdieofdrought。
　　Theyjourneyedlongthatday，andwhereasthemoonwasupatnight-tidetheylaynotdowntillshewasset；andtheirrestingplacewasbysomelowbushes，whereaboutwasroughgrassmingledwithwillow-herb，wherebyRalphjudgedthattheydrewnightowater，soorevertheyslept，theyandthehorsesallbutemptiedthewater-skins。Theyheardsomesortofbeastsroaringinthenight，buttheyweretoowearytowatch，andmightnotmakeafire。
　　WhenRalphawokeinthemorninghecriedoutthathecouldseethewoodland；
　　andUrsulaaroseathiscryandlookedwherehepointed，andsureenoughthereweretreesonarisinggroundsometwomilesahead，andbeyondthem，notveryfarbyseeming，theybeheldthetopsofgreatdarkmountains。
　　Oneitherhandmoreover，nighontheirrighthand，faroffontheirleft，ranareefofrocks，sothattheirwayseemedtobeasbetweentwowalls。
　　Andthesesaidreefswerenowiselikethosethattheyhadseenoflate，butblackand，astotheirmatter，liketothegreatmountainsbytherockoftheFightingMan：butasthereefsraneastwardtheyseemedtogrowhigher。
　　Nowtheymountedtheirhorsesatonceandrodeon；andthebeastswereaseagerastheywere，andbelikesmeltthewater。
　　Sowhentheyhadriddenbutthreemiles，theysawafairlittleriverbeforethemwindingaboutexceedingly，butflowingeastwardonthewhole。Sotheyspurredonwithlightheartsandpresentlywereonthebanksofthesaidriver，anditswaterswerecrystal-clear，thoughitssandswereblack：
　　andthepink-blossomedwillow-herbwasgrowingabundantlyonthesandyshores。Closetothewaterwasablackrock，asbigasaman，whereonwasgraventhesignoftheway，sotheyknewthattherewasnoevilinthewater，whereforetheydranktheirfillandwateredtheirhorsesabundantly，andonthefurtherbankwasthereabundanceofgoodgrass。
　　Sowhentheyhaddrunktheirfill，forthepleasureofthecoolwatertheywadedthefordbarefoot，anditwasscarceaboveUrsula’sknee。
　　Thentheyhadgreatjoytolieonthesoftgrassandeattheirmeat，whilethehorsestoreeagerlyattheherbageclosetothem。
　　Sowhentheyhadeaten，theyrestedawhile，butbeforetheywentfurthertheydespoiledthem，oneafterother，andbathedinapooloftherivertowashthefoulwildernessoffthem。
　　Thenagaintheyrestedandletthehorsesyetbitethegrass，anddepartednotfromthatpleasantplacetillitwastwohoursafternoon。AstheywerelyingthereRalphsaidhecouldhearagreatroarlikethesoundofmanywaters，butveryfaroff：
　　buttoUrsulaitseemednaughtbutthewindwaxingintheboughsofthewoodlandanighthem。
　　CHAPTER20
　　TheyCometotheOceanSeaBeingcometothewoodtheywentnotveryfarintoitthatday，fortheyweremindedtorestthemafterthewearinessofthewilderness：
　　theyfeastedonaharewhichRalphshot，andmadeabigfiretokeepoffevilbeasts，butnonecamenighthem，thoughtheyheardthevoicesofcertainbeastsasthenightgrewstill。
　　Tobeshort，theysleptfarintothemorrow’smorn，andthen，beingrefreshed，andtheirhorsesalso，theyrodestronglyallday，andfoundthewoodtobenotverygreat；forbeforesunsettheywerecometoitsoutskirts，andthemountainslaybeforethem。
　　ThesewerebutlittleliketothathugewalltheyhadpassedthroughontheirwaytoChestnut-dale，beingrathergreathillsthanmountains，grass-grown，andattheirfeetsomewhatwooded，andbyseemingnotoverhardtopassover。
　　Thenextdaytheyenteredthembyapassmarkedwiththetoken，whichledthemaboutbyawindingwaytilltheywereonthesideofthebiggestfellofall；sotheretheyrestedthatnightinafairlittlehollowordellinthemountain-side。ThereinthestillnessofthenightbothUrsula，aswellasRalph，heardthatroaringofagreatwater，andtheysaidtoeachotherthatitmustbethevoiceoftheSea，andtheyrejoicedthereat，fortheyhadlearnedbytheSageandhisbooksthattheymustneedscometothevergeoftheOcean-Sea，whichgirdlestheearthabout。
　　Sotheyarosebetimesonthemorrow，andsettoworktoclimbthemountain，goingmostlya-foot；andthewaywaslong，butnotcraggyorexceedingsteep，sothatinfivehours’