TheyCometotheSeaofMoltenRocksWhentheywokeagainthesunwashighabovetheirheads，andtheysawtheSagedightingtheirbreakfast。Sotheyaroseandwashedthenightofftheminthestreamandatehastily，andgottohorseonafairforenoon；
thentheyrodethemountainneckeastfromthatvalley；anditwasalongslopeofstonyandbarrenmountainnighwaterless。
AndonthewayUrsulatoldRalphhowthemanwhowasscaredbythewizardrylastnightwasverilythenephewoftheLordfromwhomshehadstolenherarmourbywheedlingandaseemingpromise。
“But。”saidshe，“hislovelaynotsodeepbutthathewouldhaveavengedhimformyguileonmyverybodyhadhetakenus。”
Ralphreddenedandscowledatherword，andtheSageledthemintotheothertalk。
Solongwasthatfell，thattheywerenighbenightederetheygainedthetopmost，orcametoanypass。
Whentheyhadcometoaplacewheretherewasalittlepoolinahollowoftherockstheymadestaythere，andsleptsafe，butill-lodged，andonthemorrowwereontheirwaybetimes，andwenttoilinguptheneckanotherfourhours，andcametoalongrockyridgeorcrestthatranathwartit；andwhentheyhadcometothebrowthereof，thenweretheyfacetofacewiththeGreatMountains，whichnowlookedsohugethattheyseemedtofillalltheworldsavethegroundwhereontheystood。
Cloudlesswastheday，andtheaircleanandsweet，andeverynookandcrannywascleartobeholdfromwheretheystood：
thereweregreatjuttingnesseswithstraight-walledburgsattheirtop-most，andpyramidsandpinnaclesthatnohandofmanhadfashioned，andawfulcleftslikelongstreetsinthecityofthegiantswhowroughttheworld，andhighabovealltheundyingsnowthatlookedasiftheskyhadcomedownontothemountainsandtheywereupholdingitasaroof。
Butclearaswasthefashionofthemountains，theywereyetalongwayoff：forbetwixtthemandtheridgewhereonthosefellowsstood，stretchedavastplain，houselessandtreeless，and，astheybehelditthencegreyandungrassed(thoughindeeditwasnotwhollyso)
likeahugeriverorfirthoftheseaitseemed，andsuchindeedithadbeenonce，towitafloodofmoltenrockintheolddayswhentheearthwasa-burning。
Nowastheystoodandbeheldit，theSagespake：
“Loye，mychildren，thecastleanditsoutwork，anditsdykethatwardeththelandoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd。
Nowfromto-morrow，whenweenterintothegreatseaoftherockmoltenintheancientearth-fires，thereisnoleastperilofpursuitforyou。Yetamidstthatseashouldyeperishbelike，wereitnotforthewisdomgatheredbyafew；andtheyaredeadnowsavefortheBook，andforme，whoreadituntoyou。
NowyewouldnotturnbackwereItobidyou，andIwillnotbidyou。
Yetsincethejourneyshallbeyetwithgrievoustoilandmuchperil，andshalltrytheveryheartswithinyou，wereyeaswiseasSolomonandasmightyasAlexander，Iwillsaythismuchuntoyou；
thatifyelovenottheearthandtheworldwithallyoursouls，andwillnotstriveallyemaytobefrankandhappytherein，yourtoilandperilaforesaidshallwinyounoblessingbutacurse。ThereforeIbidyoubenotyrantsorbuildersofcitiesformerchantsandusurersandwarriorsandthralls，likethefoolwhobuildedGoldbergtobeforatombtohim：
orlikethethrall-mastersoftheBurgoftheFourFriths，whoevennow，itmaybe，arepiercedbytheirownstafforoverwhelmedbytheirownwall。ButratherIbidyoutoliveinpeaceandpatiencewithoutfearorhatred，andtosuccourtheoppressedandlovethelovely，andtobethefriendsofmen，sothatwhenyearedeadatlast，menmaysayofyou，theybroughtdownHeaventotheEarthforalittlewhile。
Whatsayye，children？”
ThensaidRalph：“Father，Iwillsaythesoothaboutmineintent，thoughyemaydeemitlittle-minded。WhenIhaveaccomplishedthisquest，IwouldgetmehomeagaintothelittlelandofUpmeads，toseemyfatherandmymother，andtoguarditsmeadowsfromwasteanditshousesfromfire-raising：
toholdwaraloofandwalkinfreefields，andseemychildrengrowingupaboutme，andlieatlastbesidemyfathersinthechoirofSt。Laurence。
ThedeadwouldIloveandremember；thelivingwouldIloveandcherish；
andEarthshallbethewellbelovedhouseofmyFathers，andHeaventhehighesthallthereof。”
“Itiswell。”saidtheSage，“allthisshaltthoudoandbenolittle-heart，thoughthoudonomore。Andthou，maiden？”
ShelookedonRalphandsaid：“Ilost，andthenIfound，andthenIlostagain。MaybeIshallfindthelostoncemore。
Andfortherest，inallthatthismanwilldo，Iwillhelp，livingordead，forIknownaughtbettertodo。”
“Againitiswell。”saidtheSage，“andthelostwhichwasverilythineshaltthoufindagain，andgooddaysandtheirendingshallbetidethee。
Yeshallhavenoshameinyourlivesandnofearinyourdeaths。
Whereforenowlieththeroadfreebeforeyou。”
Thenwashesilentawhile，neitherspaketheothersaught，butstoodgazingonthedarkgreyplain，andthebluewallthatrosebeyondit，tillatlasttheSagelifteduphishandandsaid：
“Lookyonder，children，towhereIpoint，andyeshallseehowtherethrustethoutanessfromthemountain-wall，andtheendofitstandslikeabastionabovethelava-sea，andonitssidesanditsheadarestreaksruddyandtawny，wheretheearth-fireshaveburntnotsolongago：seeye？”
Ralphlookedandsaid：“Yea，father，Iseeit，anditsriftsanditsridges，anditscrannies。”
QuoththeSage：“BehindthatnessshallyecometotheRockoftheFightingMan，whichistheveryGateoftheMountains；
andIwillnotturnagainnorbidyoufarewelltillIhavebroughtyouthither。Andnowtimepresses；forIwouldhaveyoucometimelytothatcavern，whereofIhavetaughtyou，beforeyefallonthefirstdaysofwinter，oryeshallbehardbestead。
Sonowwewilleatamorsel，andthenusediligencethatwemayreachthebeginningoftherock-seabeforenightfall。”
Sodidthey，andtheSageledthemdownbyaslant-wayfromofftheridge，whichwastoilsomebutnowiseperilous。
Soaboutsunsettheycamedownintotheplain，andfoundabeltofgreensward，andwatersthereinbetwixtthefootoftheridgeandtheedgeoftherock-sea。Andasforthesaidsea，thoughfromafaritlookedplainandunbroken，nowthattheywerecloseto，andonalevelwithit，theysawthatitroseupintocliffs，brokendowninsomeplaces，andinothersarisinghighintotheair，anhundredfoot，itmightbe。
Sometimesitthrustoutintothegreenshorebelowthefell，andotherwhiledrewbackfromitasithadcooledagesago。
Sotheycametoaplacewheretherewasahighwallofrockroundthreesidesofagrassyplacebyastream-side，andtheretheymadetheirresting-place，andthenightwentcalmlyandsweetlywiththem。
TheyComeForthFromtheRock-SeaOnthemorrowtheSageledthemstraightintotherock-seawhereasitseemedtothematfirstthathewasbutbringingthemintoablindalley；
butattheendofthebighttherock-wallwasbrokendownintoalongscreeofblackstones。TheretheSagebadeRalphandUrsuladismount(asforhimhehadbeengoingafooteversincethatfirstday)
andtheyledthehorsesupthesaidscree，whichwasahardbusiness，astheywerenomountainbeasts。Andwhentheywereatopofthescreeitwasharderyettogetthemdown，foronthatsideitwassteeper；
butatlasttheybroughtitabout，andcamedownintoalittlegrassyplainorisleintherocksea，whichnarrowedtowardtheeasternend，andtherocksoneithersideweresmoothandglossy，asiftheheathadgoneoutofthemsuddenly，whentheearth-fireshadceasedinthemountains。
NowtheSageshowedthemonacertainrockasigncut，whereoftheyhadlearnedinthebookaforesaid，towit，aswordcrossedbyathree-leavedbough；andtheyknewbythebookthattheyshouldpressonthroughtherock-seanowhere，eithergoingorreturning，savewheretheyshouldseethistoken。
Nowwhentheycametothenarrowendoftheplaintheyfoundstillawidewaybetweentherock-walls，thatwhileswidenedout，andwhilesdrewinagain。
Whileswithalwerescreesacrossthepath，andlittlewatersthatranoutofthelavaandintoitagain，andgreatblocksoffallenstone，sometimesasbigasahusbandman’scot，thatwindandweatherhadrentfromtherocks；andallthesethingsstayedthemsomewhat。
Buttheywentonmerrily，albeittheirroadwindedsomuch，thattheSagetoldthem，wheneveningwas，thatfortheirdiligencetheyhadbutcomeafewshortmilesasthecrowflies。
Manywildthingstherewere，bothbeastandfowl，intheseislandsandbridgesoftherock-sea，haresandconiestowit，amany，andheathfowl，andhereandtherearedfoxlurkingaboutthecranniesoftherock-wall。RalphshotabraceofconieswithhisTurkbow，andwhereastherewerebushesgrowinginthechinks，andnolackofwhinandling，theyhadfiringenough，andsuppedoffthisvenisonoftherocks。
Sopassedthatdayandtwodaysmore，andnaughtbefell，savethatonthemidnightofthefirstdayoftheirwendingtherock-sea，Ralphawokeandsawtheskyallablazewithotherlightthanthatofthemoon；
sohearoseandwenthastilytotheSage，andtookhimbytheshoulder，andbidhimawake；“Formeseemstheskyisafire，andperchancethefoeisuponus。”
TheSageawokeandopenedhiseyes，androseonhiselbowandlookedaroundsleepily；thenhesaidlaughing：“Itisnaught，fairlord，thoumaystliedownandsleepouttheremnantofthenight，andthoualso，maiden：thisisbutanearth-firebreakingoutontheflankofthemountains；itmaybefarawayhence。
Nowyeseethathemaynotscaletherocksaboutusherewithouttoil；
butto-morrownightwemayclimbupsomewhereandlookonwhatistoward。”
SoRalphlaydownandUrsulaalso，butRalphlaylongawakewatchingthelightabovehim，whichgrewfiercerandredderinthehoursbetwixtmoonsetanddaybreak，whenhefellasleep，andwokenotagaintillthesunwashigh。
Butonthenextdayastheywent，theaspectoftherock-seaaboutthemchanged：fortherockswerenotsosmoothandshiningandorderly，butroseupinconfusedheapsallclottedtogetherbytheburning，liketoclinkersoutofsomemonstrousforgeoftheearth-giants，sothattheirwaywasnaughtsoclearasithadbeen，butwasratheramazeofjaggedstone。
ButtheSageledthroughitallunfumbling，andmoreovernowandagaintheycameonthatcarventokenoftheswordandthebough。Nightfell，andasitgrewdarktheysawtheglaringoftheearth-firesagain；
andwhentheywererested，andhaddonetheirmeat，theSagesaid：
“Comenowwithme，forhardbyisthereaplaceasitwereastairthatgoethtothetopofagreatrock，letusclimbitandlookaboutus。”
Sodidthey，andtheheadoftherockwashigherthanthemainfaceoftherock-sea，sothattheycouldseeafar。
Thencetheylookednorthandbeheldafaroffaverypillaroffirerisingupfromanessofthemountainwall，andseemingasifitboreupablackroofofsmoke；andthehugewallgleamedgrey，becauseofitslight，anditcastarayoflightacrosstherock-seaasthemoondothoverthewatersofthedeep：
withaltherewasthenoiseasofthunderintheair，butafaroff：
whichthunderindeedtheyhadheardoft，astheyrodethroughtheafternoonandevening。
SpaketheSage：“Itisfaraway：yetifthewindwerenotblowingfromus，wehadsmeltthesmoke，andtheskyhadbeendarkenedbyit。
NowitisnaughtsofarfromUtterbol，anditwillbeforatokentothemthere。ForthatnessiscalledtheCandleoftheGiants，andmendeemthatthekindlingthereofforebodethilltothelordwhosittethonthethroneintheredhallofUtterbol。”
RalphlaidhishandonUrsula’sshoulderandsaid：
“MaytheSage’ssawbesooth！”
Sheputherhanduponthehandandsaid：“ThreemonthsagoIlayonmybedatBourtonAbbas，andallthewhileherewasthishugemanlesswastelyingunderthebareheavensandthreatenedbythestorehouseofthefiresoftheearth：
andIhadnotseenit，northeeeither，Ofriend；andnowithathbecomeapartofmeforever。”
