ForallthingshavechangedsincemyLadypassedaway。”
Helookedabout，andsawUrsulajustrisingupfromthegroundandtheSagestirring，whileRichardyethuggedhisbrackenbed，snoring。
Sohesaid：“Andwhobethese，andwhyhastthoutakentothewildwood？
Yealad，Iseeofthee，thatthouhastgottenanotherLady；andifmineeyesdonotfailmesheisfairenough。Buttherebeothersasfair；
whiletheliketoourLadythatwas，thereisnonesuch。”
Hefellsilentawhile，andRalphturnedabouttotheothers，forbythistimeRichardalsowasawake，andsaid：
“Thismanisthehermitofwhomweweretold。”
Rogersaid：“Yea，Iamthehermitandtheholyman；
andwithalIhaveathingtohearandathingtotell。
Yewerebesttocomewithme，allofyou，tomyhouseinthewoods；
apoorone，forsooth，butthereissomewhatofvictualhere，andwecantellandhearkenthereinwellshelteredandatpeace。
Sotohorse，fairfolk。”
Theywouldnotbebiddentwice，butmountedandwentalongwithhim，wholedthembyathicketpathaboutamile，tilltheycametoalawnwhere-throughranastream；andtherewasalittlehouseinit，simpleenough，ofonehall，builtwithroughtree-limbsandreedthatch。
Hebroughtthemin，andbadethemsitonsuchstoolsorbundlesofstuffaswerethere。Butwithalhebroughtoutvictualnowiseill，thoughitwerebutsimplealso，ofvenisonofthewildwood，withsomelittledealofcakesbakedonthehearth，andhepouredforthemalsobothmilkandwine。
Theywerewellcontentwiththebanquet，andwhentheywerefull，Rogersaid：
“Now，myLord，likeasoftbefallethminstrels，yehavehadyourwagesbeforeyourwork。Fallto，then，andpaymethescotbytellingmeallthathathbefallenyousince(woeworththewhile！)myLadydied，——Imustneedssay，forthysake。”
“’All’isabigword。”saidRalph，“butIwilltelltheesomewhat。
YetIbidtheetakenotethatIandthisancientwiseone，andmyLadywithal，deemthatIamdrawnbymykindredtocometotheirhelp，andthattimepresses。”
RogerscowledsomewhatonUrsula；buthesaid：“Lordandmaster，letnotthatflytroublethylip。ForsoIdeemofit，thatwhatsoevertimeyemaylosebyfallinginwithme，yemaygaintwiceasmuchagainbyhearkeningmytaleandtheredethatshallgowithit。
AndIdotheetowitthatthetellingofthytaleshallunfreezemine；
sotarrynot，ifyebeinhastetobegone，butletthytonguewag。”
Ralphsmiled，andwithoutmoreadotoldhimallthathadbefallenhim；
andofSwevenhamandUtterbol，andofhiscaptivityandflight；
andofthemeetinginthewood，andoftheSage(whotherewas)，andofthejourneytotheWell，andwhatbetidthereandsince，andofthedeathoftheChampionoftheDryTree。
Butwhenhehadmadeanend，Rogersaid：“Thereitis，then，asI
saidwhenshefirstspaketomeoftheeandbademebringaboutthatmeetingwithher，drawingtheefirsttotheBurgandaftertotheCastleofAbundance，Ihaveforgottenmostlybywhatlies；
butIsaidtoherthatshehadsetherheartonamanoverlucky，andthatthouwouldsttakeherluckfromherandmakeitthine。
ButnowIwillletallthatpass，andwillbidtheeaskwhatthouwilt；
andIpromisetheethatIwillhelptheetocomethywaystothykindred，thatthoumaystputforththyluckintheirbehalf。”
SaidRalph：“Firstofall，tellmewhatshallIdotopassunhinderedthroughtheBurgoftheFourFriths？”SaidRoger：
“Thoushaltgoinatonegateandoutattheother，andnoneshallhinderthee。”
SaidRalph：“AndshallIhaveanyhindrancefromthemoftheDryTree？”
Rogermadeasifhewereswallowingdownsomething，andanswered：
“Nay，none。”
“AndthefolkofHighambytheWay，andtheBrethrenandtheirAbbot？”saidRalph。
“Iknowbutlittleofthem。”quothRoger，“butIdeemthattheywillmakeapushtohavetheeforcaptain；
becausetheyhavehadwarontheirhandsoflate。
Butthisshallbeatthineownwilltosayyeaornaytothem。
Butfortherestonthissideoftheshepherds’countryyewillpassbypeacefulfolk。”
“Yea。”saidRalph，“whatthenhathbecomeoftheprideandcrueltyoftheBurgoftheFourFriths，andtheeagernessandfiercenessoftheDryTree？”
QuothRoger：“Thisisthetaleofit：AfterthechampionsoftheDryTreehadlosttheirqueenandbeloved，theLadyofAbundance，theywerebothrestlessandfierce，forthedaysofsorrowhungheavyontheirhands。SoonatimeagreatcompanyofthemhadadowiththeBurgerssomewhatrecklesslyandcametotheworse；
whereforesomedrewbackintotheirfastnessoftheScaurandtheothersstillrodeon，andfurtherwestthantheirwonthadbeen；
butwarilywhentheyhadtheWoodPerilousbehindthem，fortheyhadlearnedwisdomagain。ThusridingtheyhadtidingsofanhostoftheBurgoftheFourFrithswhowererestinginavalleyhardbywithagreattrainofcaptivesandbeastsandotherspoil：
fortheyhadbeenraisingthefrayagainsttheWheat-wearers，andhadslainmanycarlesthere，andwerebringinghometotheBurgmanyyoungwomenandwomen-children，aftertheircustom。
SotheyoftheDryTreeadvisedthemofthesetidings，anddeemedthatitwouldeasethesorrowoftheirheartsfortheirLadyiftheycoulddealwiththesesonsofwhoresandmakeamarkupontheBurg：
sotheylayhidwhilethedaylightlasted，andbynightandcloudfelluponthesefaineantsoftheBurg，andwonthemgoodcheap，aswasliketobe，thoughtheBurg-dwellersweremanythemore。
Whereofamanywereslain，butmanyescapedandgathometotheBurg，evenaswilllightlyhappenevenintheworstofoverthrows，thatnotall，oreventhemorepartbeslain。
“Well，therewerethechampionsandtheirprey，whichwasverygreat，andespeciallyofwomen，ofwhomthemorepartwereyoungandfair：
forthewomenoftheWheat-wearersbegoodly，andthesehadbeenpickedoutbytheruttersoftheBurgfortheiryouthandstrengthandbeauty。
AndwhereasthemenoftheDryTreewerescantofwomenathome，andsore-heartedbecauseofourLady，theyforborenotthesewomen，butfelltotalkingwiththemandlovingthem；howbeitincourteousandmanlyfashion，sothatthewomendeemedthemselvesinheavenandwerereadytodoanythingtopleasetheirlovers。
SotheendofitwasthattheChampionssentmessengerstoHamptonandtheCastleoftheScaurtotellwhathadbetid，andtheythemselvestooktheroadtothelandoftheWheat-wearers，havingthosewomenwiththemnotascaptivesbutasfreedamsels。
“NowtheroadtotheWheat-wearingcountrywaslong，andonthewaythedamselstoldtheirnewmenmanythingsoftheirlandandtheirunhappywarswiththemoftheBurgandthegriefsandtormentswhichtheyenduredofthem。
Andthisamongstotherthings，thatwherevertheycame，theyslewallthemaleseventothesuckingbabe，butsparedthewomen，evenwhentheyborethemnotintocaptivity。
“’Whereof，’saidthesepoordamsels，’itcomeththatourlandisill-furnishedofcarles，sothatwewomen，highandlow，goafieldanddomanythings，ascraftsandthelike，whichinotherlandsaredonebycarles。’
Insoothitseemedofthemthattheywerebothofstouterfashion，anddefterthanwomenarewonttobe。Sothechampions，partinjest，partinearnest，badethemdoonthearmouroftheslainBurgers，andtaketheirweapons，andfelltoteachingthemhowtohandlestaffandswordandbow；andthewomentookheartfromthevaliantcountenanceoftheirnewlovers，anddeemeditallbitterearnestenough，andlearnedtheirpartspeedily；andyetnonetoosoon。
ForwhenthefleersoftheBurgcamehomethePortelostnotime，butsentoutanotherhosttofollowaftertheChampionsandtheirspoil；
fortheyhadlearnedthatthosemenhadnotturnedabouttoHamptonaftertheirvictory，buthadgoneontotheWheat-wearers。
“SoitbefellthatthehostoftheBurgcameupwiththeChampionsontheeveofasummerdaywhentherewereyetthreehoursofdaylight。
Butwhereastheyhadlookedtohaveaneasybargainoftheirfoemen，sincetheyknewtheChampionstobebutafew，lo！therewasthehillsidecoveredwithagoodlyarrayofspearsandglaivesandshininghelms。
Theymarvelled；butnowforveryshame，andbecausetheyscarcecouldhelpit，theyfellon，andbeforesunsetwerescatteredtothewindsagain，andthefleershadtobearbackthetalethatthemorepartoftheirfoeswerewomenoftheWheat-wearers；butthistimefewwerethosethatcamebackalivetotheBurgoftheFourFriths；forthefreedcaptiveswerehotandeagerinthechase，castingasidetheirshieldsandhauberksthattheymightspeedthebetter，andvaluingtheirlivesatnaughtiftheymightbutslayamanortwoofthetyrantsbeforetheydied。
“ThuswastheBurgwoundedwithitsownsword：butthematterstoppednotthere：forwhenthatvictorioushostofmenandwomencameintothelandoftheWheat-wearers，allmenfledawayinterroratfirst，thinkingthatitwasanewonsetofthemenoftheBurg；
andthatallthemore，assomanyofthemboretheirweaponsandarmour。
Butwhentheyfoundouthowmattershadgone，then，asyemaydeem，wasthegreatestjoyandexultation，andcarlesandqueansbothrantoarmsandbadetheirdelivererslearnthemallthatbelongedtowar，andsaidthatonethingshouldnotbelacking，towit，thegiftoftheirbodies，thatshouldeitherliedeadinthefields，orbearabouthenceforththesoulsoffreemen。
Nothinglothe，theChampionsbecametheirdoctorsandteachersofbattle，andagreathostwasdrawntogether；andmeanwhiletheChampionshadsentmessengersagaintoHamptontellingthemwhatwasbefallen，andaskingformoremeniftheymightbehad。
ButtheBurg-abiderswerenotliketositdownundertheirfoil。
AnotherhosttheysentagainsttheWheat-wearers，notsohuge，aswellarrayedandwiseinwar。TheChampionsespieditsgoings，andknewwellthattheyhadtodealwiththebestmenoftheBurg，andtheymettheminlikewise；fortheychosetheverybestofthemenandthewomen，andpitchedonaplacewhencetheymightwardthemwell，andabodethefoementhere；whofailednottocomeuponthem，stoutandsternandcold，andwell-learnedinallfeatsofwar。
“Longandbitterwasthebattle，andtheBurgerswerefiercewithouthead-strongfolly，andtheWheat-wearersdeemedthatiftheyblenchednow，theyhadsomethingworsethandeathtolookto。
Butintheendwhenbothsidesweregrownwearyandwornout，andyetneitherwouldflee，onasuddencameintothefieldthehelpfromtheDryTree，avaliantcompanyofriderstowhombattlewasbutgameandplay。ThenindeedthemenoftheBurggavebackanddrewoutofthebattleasbesttheymight：
yetweretheylittlechased，savebythenew-comersoftheDryTree，fortheotherswereoverweary，andmoreovertheleadershadnomindtoletthenew-madewarriorsleavetheirvantage-groundlesttheoldandtriedmen-at-armsoftheBurgshouldturnuponthemandputthemtotheworse。
“Menlookedforbattleagainthenextday；butitfellnotoutso；
forthehostoftheBurgsawthattherewasmoretolosethantogain，sotheydrewbacktowardstheirownplace。
Neitherdidtheywastethelandmuch；fortheridersoftheDryTreefollowedhardatheel，andcutoffallwhotarried，orstrayedfromthemainbattle。
“Whentheyweregone，thenatlastdidtheWheat-wearersgivethemselvesuptothejoyoftheirdeliveranceandthepleasureoftheirnewlives：
andoneoftheiroldmenthatIhavespokenwithtoldmethis；
thatbeforewhentheywerelittlebetterthanthethrallsoftheBurg，anddurstscarceraiseahandagainstthefoemen，thecarleswerebutslowtolove，andthequeans，foralltheirfairness，coldandbutlittlekind。
However，nowinthefieldsofthewheat-wearersthemselvesallthiswaschanged，andmenandmaidstooktoarrayingthemselvesgailyasoccasionserved，andtherewassinginganddancingoneverygreen，andstrayingofcouplesamongstthegreeneryofthesummernight；
andinshortthegodoflovewasbusyintheland，andmadetheeyesseembright，andthelipssweet，andthebosomfair，andthearmssleekandthefeettrim：sothateveryhourwasfullofallurement；
andeverthenigherthatwarandperilwas，themoredelighthadmanandmaidofeachother’sbodies。
