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-houses(whereoftheysawsix)wasamarkettowardandmuchconcourseoffolk。
Butthesergeantsledthroughthemandthelanesoftheboothsdowntothesideoftheriver，whereonagreenknoll，withsomedozenofmen-at-armsandcaptainsabouthim，satthenewLordofUtterbol。
Nowastheothersdrewawayfromhimtorightandleft，theLordsatbeforeRalphwithnaughttohidehim，andwhentheireyesmetRalphgaveacryasoneastonished；andtheLordofUtterbolroseuptohisfeetandshouted，andthenfellalaughingjoyously，andthencriedout：“Welcome，King’sSon，andlookonme！forthoughthefeathersbefine’tisthesamebird。
IamLordofUtterbolandtherewithalBullShockhead，whosemightwaslessthanthineonthebentofthemountainvalley。”
TherewithhecaughtholdofRalph’shand，andsathimselfdownanddrewRalphdown，andmadehimsitbesidehim。
