RalphandUrsulaComeBackAgainThroughtheGreatMountainsOnthemorrowmorningtheyarmedthemandtooktotheirhorsesanddepartedfromthatpleasantplaceandclimbedthemountainwithoutweariness，andmadeprovisionofmeatanddrinkfortheDryDesert，andsoenteredit，andjourneyedhappilywithnaughtevilbefallingthemtilltheycamebacktotheHouseoftheSorceress；andoftheDeserttheymadelittle，andthewoodwaspleasanttothemafterthedroughtoftheDesert。
　　ButatthesaidHousetheysawthosekindpeople，andtheysawintheireagereyesasinaglasshowtheyhadbeenbetteredbytheirdrinkingoftheWell，andtheEldersaidtothem：
　　“Dearfriends，thereisnoneedtoaskyouwhetheryehaveachievedyourquest；forye，whobeforewerelovely，arenowbecomeastheveryGodswhoruletheworld。
　　Andnowmethinkswehavetoprayyoubutonething，towitthatyewillnotbeovermuchofGods，butwillbekindandlowlywiththemthatneedsmustworshipyou。”
　　Theylaughedonhimforkindness’sake，andkissedandembracedtheoldman，andtheythankedthemallfortheirhelping，andtheyabodewiththemforawholedayingood-willandlove，andthereafterthecarle，whowasthesonoftheElder，withhiswife，badefarewelltohiskinsmen，andledRalphandUrsulabackthroughthewoodandoverthedeserttothetownoftheInnocentFolk。
　　ThesaidFolkreceivedtheminalljoyandtriumph，andwouldhavethemabidetherethewinterover。Buttheyprayedleavetodepart，becausetheirheartsweresorefortheirownlandandtheirkindred。
　　Sotheyabodetherebuttwodays，andonthethirddaywereledawaybyahalfscoreofmengailyapparelledaftertheirmanner，andhavingwiththemmanysumpter-beastswithprovisionfortheroad。
　　WiththisfellowshiptheycamesafelyandwithlittlepainuntoChestnutVale，wheretheyabodebutonenight，thoughtoRalphandUrsulatheplacewassweetforthememoryoftheirlovingsojournthere。
　　TheywouldhavetakenleaveoftheInnocentFolkinthesaidvale，butthoseothersmustneedsgowiththemalittlefurther，andwouldnotleavethemtilltheywerecometothejawsofthepasswhichledtotheRockoftheFightingMan。
　　Furtherthanthatindeedtheywouldnot，ordurstnotgo；
　　andthosehugemountainstheycalledtheWallofStrife，evenastheyontheothersidecalledthemtheWalloftheWorld。
　　Sothetwaintookleaveoftheirfriendsthere，andhowbeitthattheyhaddrunkoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd，yetweretheirheartsgrievedattheparting。Thekindfolkleftwiththemabundantprovisionfortheremnantoftheroad，andasumpter-oxtobearit；
　　sotheywereinnodoubtoftheirlivelihood。Moreover，thoughtheturnofautumnwascomeagainandwinterwasathand，yettheweatherwasfairandcalm，andtheirjourneythroughthedrearypasswasaslightasitmightbetoanymen。
　　TheyHearNewTidingsofUtterbolItwasonafaireveningoflaterautumn-tidethattheywontheirwayoutoftheGatesoftheMountains，andcameundertherockoftheFightingMan。
　　TheretheykissedandcomfortedeachotherinmemoryoftheterrorandlonelinesswherewiththeyhadenteredtheMountainsthatothertime；
　　though，soothtosay，itwastothemnowlikethereadingofsorrowinabook。
　　ButwhentheycameoutwithjoyfulheartsintothegreenplainbetwixtthemountainsandtheRiverofLava，theylookedwestward，andbeheldnogreatwayoffalittlebowerorcot，buildedofboughsandrushesbyablackthorncopse；andastheyrodetowardittheysawamancomeforththerefrom，andpresentlysawthathewashoary，amanwithalongwhitebeard。ThenRalphgaveagladcry，andsetspurstohishorseandgallopedovertheplain；
　　forhedeemedthatitcouldbenoneotherthantheSageofSwevenham；
　　andUrsulacameprickingafterhimlaughingforjoy。
　　Theoldmanabodetheircoming，andRalphleaptoffhishorseatonce，andkissedandembracedhim；buttheSagesaid：
　　“Thereisnoneedtoasktheeoftidings；forthineeyesandthinewholebodytellmethatthouhastdrunkoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd。
　　Andthatshallbebetterfortheebelikethanithasbeenforme；
　　thoughformealsotheworldhasnotgoneillaftermyfashionsinceIdrankofthatwater。”
　　ThenwasUrsulacomeup，andshealsolighteddownandmademuchoftheSage。Buthesaid：“Hail，daughter！Itissweettoseetheeso，andtowotthatthouartinthehandsofamightyman：
　　forIknowthatRalphthymanismindedforhisFather’sHouse，andthedeedsthatabidehimthere；andIthinkwemayjourneyalittlewaytogether；forasforme，IwouldgobacktoSwevenhamtoendmydaysthere，whethertheybelongorshort。”
　　ButRalphsaid：“Asforthat，thoumaystgofurtherthanSwevenham，andasfarasUpmeads，wheretherewillbeasmanytoloveandcherishtheeasatSwevenham。”
　　Theoldmanlaughedalittle，andreddenedwithal，butanswerednothing。
　　Thentheyuntrussedtheirsumpter-beast，andtookmeatanddrinkfromhisburden，andtheyateanddranktogether，sittingonthegreengrassthere；
　　andthetwainmadegreatjoyoftheSage，andtoldhimthewholetale；
　　andhetoldthemthathehadbeenabidingtheresincethespring-tide，lesttheymighthaveturnedbackwithoutaccomplishingtheirquest，andthenmay-happenheshouldhavebeenathandtocomfortthem，ortheoneofthemleft，ifsoithadbefallen。“But。”quothhe，“sinceyehaveverilydrunkoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd，yehavecomebacknolaterthanIlookedforyou。”
　　Thatnighttheysleptinthebowerthere，andonthemorrowbetimes，theSagedrovetogetherthreeorfourmilchgoatsthathepasturedthere，andwenttheirwaysovertheplain，andsoinduetimeenteredintothelava-sea。Butthefirstnightthattheylaythere，thoughitwasmoonlessandsomewhatcloudy，theysawnoglareofthedistantearth-fireswhichtheyhadlookedfor；andwhenonthemorrowtheyquestionedtheSagethereof，hesaid：
　　“TheEarth-firesceasedabouttheendoflastyear，asIhaveheardtell。
　　ButsoothitisthattheforebodingoftheGiant’sCandlewasnotfornaught。
　　FortherehathverilybeenachangeofmastersatUtterbol。”
　　“Yea。”saidRalph，“forbetterorworse？”
　　SaidtheSage：“Itcouldscarcehavebeenforworse；
　　butifrumourrunnethrightitismuchforthebetter。
　　HearkenhowIlearnedthereof。OnefairevenoflateMarch，alittlebeforeIsetoffhither，asIwassittingbeforethedoorofmyhouse，Isawtheglintofsteelthroughthewood，andpresentlyrodeupasortofknightsandmen-at-arms，aboutascore；andattheheadofthemamanonabigred-roanhorse，withhissurcoatblazonedwithawhitebullonagreenfield：
　　hewasamanblack-haired，butblue-eyed；notverybig，butwellknitandstrong，andlookedbothdoughtyandknightly；andheworeagoldcoronetabouthisbasnet：
　　sonotknowinghisblazonry，IwonderedwhoitwasthatdurstbesoboldastorideinthelandsoftheLordofUtterbol。
　　Nowherodeuptomeandcravedadrinkofmilk，forhehadseenmygoats；soImilkedtwogoatsforhim，andbroughtwheyfortheothers，whereasIhadnomoregoatsinmilkatthatseason。Sothebull-knightspaketomeaboutthewoodland，andwhereforeIdweltthereapartfromothers；
　　somewhatroughinhisspeechhewas，yetratherjollythanfierce；
　　andhethankedmeforthebeverkindlyenough，andsaid：
　　“Ideemthatitwillnotavailtogivetheemoney；
　　butIshallgivetheewhatmaybeofavailtothee。
　　Ho，Gervaise！givemeoneofthosescrolls！”Soasquirehandshimaparchmentandhegaveitme，anditwasasafe-conducttothebearerfromtheLordofUtterbol；butwhereasIsawthatthesealborenottheBearontheCastle-wall，buttheBull，andthatthesuperscriptionwasunknowntome，Iheldthesaidscrollinmyhandandwondered；andtheknightsaidtome：
　　“Yea，looklongatit；butsoitis，thoughthoutrowitnot，thatI
　　amverilyLordofUtterbol，andthatbyconquest；sothatbelikeI
　　ammightierthanhewas，forthatmightyrunagatehaveIslain。
　　Andmanytherebewhodeemthatnomishap，heathenthoughIbe。
　　ComethoutoUtterbolandseeforthyselfifthedaysbenotchangedthere；andthoushalthaveabelly-fullofmeatanddrink，andhonourafterthydeserving。”Sotheyrestedawhile，andthenwenttheirways。ToUtterbolIwentnot，butereI
　　departedtocomehithertwoorthreecarlesstrayedmyway，aswhilestheywill，whotoldmethatthiswhichtheknighthadsaidwasnaughtbutthesooth，andthatgreatwasthechangeofdaysatUtterbol，whereasallmenthere，bothbondandfree，wereasmerryastheydeservedtobe，orbelikemerrier。”
　　Ralphponderedthistale，andwasnotsosurebutthatthisnewlordwasnotBullShockhead，hiswartakenthrall；nathelessheheldhispeace；
　　butUrsulasaid：“Imarvelnotmuchatthetale，forsureIam，thathadGandolfoftheBearbeenslainwhenIwasatUtterbol，neithermannorwomanhadstirredafingertoavengehim。
　　Butallfearedhim，Iscarceknowwhy；and，moreover，therewasnonetobemasterifheweregone。”
　　ThereaftershetoldmoretalesofthemiseriesofUtterbolthanRalphhadyetheard，asthoughthistaleoftheendofthatevilrulehadsetherfreetoutterthem；andtheyfelltotalkingofothersmatters。
　　TheyWinterWiththeSage；andThereafterComeAgaintoValeTurrisThuswithnoperilandlittlepaintheycametotheSage’shermitage；
　　andwhereastheautumnwasnowwearing，anditwasnottobelookedforthattheyshouldcrosseventhemountainswestofGoldburg，letalonethosetothewestofCheapingKnowe，whenwinterhadoncesetin，RalphandUrsulatooktheSage’sbiddingtoabidethewinterthroughwithhim，andsetforthontheirjourneyagainwhenspringshouldbefairlycomeandthemountainwaysbeclearofsnow。
　　Sotheydwelttherehappilyenough；fortheyhelpedtheSageinhishusbandry，andheenforcedhimtomakethemcheer，andreadintheancientbooktothem，andlearnedthemasmuchasitbehovedthemtohearken；andtoldthemtalesofpasttime。
　　ThereafterwhenMaywasathandtheysetoutontheirroad，andwhereastheSageknewthewoodwell，hemadealongstoryshortbybringingthemtoValeTurrisinfourdays’time。Butwhentheyrodedownintothedale，theysawtheplainmeadsbelowtheTowerallbrightwithtentsandbooths，andmuchfolkmovingaboutamidstthem；hereandthereamidsttheroofsofclothwithalwasshowingthehalffinishedframeofatimberhousea-building。Butnowastheylookedandwonderedwhatmightbetoward，ahalfscoreofweaponedmenrodeuptothemandbadethem，butcourteously，tocomewiththemtoseetheirLord。TheSagedrewforthhislet-passthereat；buttheleaderoftheriderssaid，asheshookhishead：
　　“Thatisgoodforthee，father；butthesetwoknightsmustneedsgiveanaccountofthemselves：formylordismindedtoputdownallliftingthroughouthislands；thereforehathhemadethemeshesofhisnetsmall。
　　Butifthesebethyfriendsitwillbewell。Thereforethouartfreetocomewiththemandbearwitnesstotheirgoodlife。”
　　HereitmustbesaidthatsincetheywereontheroadagainUrsulahaddonnedherwargearoncemore，andassherodewastoallmen’seyesnaughtbutayoungandslenderknight。
　　Sowithoutmoreadotheyfollowedthosemen-at-arms，andsawhowthebanneroftheBullwasnowhungoutfromtheTower；
　　andthesergeantsbroughtthemintothemidstofthevale，where，aboutthosetentsandthosehalf-finishedframe-houseswhereoftheysawsixwasamarkettowardandmuchconcourseoffolk。
　　Butthesergeantsledthroughthemandthelanesoftheboothsdowntothesideoftheriver，whereonagreenknoll，withsomedozenofmen-at-armsandcaptainsabouthim，satthenewLordofUtterbol。
　　Nowastheothersdrewawayfromhimtorightandleft，theLordsatbeforeRalphwithnaughttohidehim，andwhentheireyesmetRalphgaveacryasoneastonished；andtheLordofUtterbolroseuptohisfeetandshouted，andthenfellalaughingjoyously，andthencriedout：“Welcome，King’sSon，andlookonme！forthoughthefeathersbefine’tisthesamebird。
　　IamLordofUtterbolandtherewithalBullShockhead，whosemightwaslessthanthineonthebentofthemountainvalley。”
　　TherewithhecaughtholdofRalph’shand，andsathimselfdownanddrewRalphdown，andmadehimsitbesidehim。