to be holpen by him in one way or other, and of him men say that he hath
so much lore concerning the road to the Well (whether he hath been
there himself they know not certainly), that if he will, he can put
anyone on the road so surely that he will not fail to come there,
but he be slain on the way, as I said to thee in Goldburg.
True it is that the said sage is chary of his lore, and if he think
any harm of the seeker, he will show him naught; but, fair sir,
thou art so valiant and so goodly, and as meseemeth so good a knight
per amours, that I deem it a certain thing that he will tell thee
the uttermost of his knowledge."

Now again waxed Ralph eager concerning his quest; for true it is
that since he had had that story of the damsel from the minstrel,
she had stood in the way before the Well at the World's End.
But now he said: "And canst thou bring me to the said sage, good minstrel?"
"Without doubt," quoth Morfinn, "when we are once safe at Utterbol.
From Utterbol ye may wend any road."

"Yea," said Ralph, "and there are perils yet a few on the way, is it not so?"
"So it is," said the minstrel; "but to-morrow shall try all." Said Ralph:
"And is there some special peril ahead to-morrow? And if it be so,
what is it?" Said his fellow: "It would avail thee naught to know it.
What then, doth that daunt thee?" "No," said Ralph, "by then it is nigh
enough to hurt us, we shall be nigh enough to see it." "Well said!"
quoth the minstrel; "but now we must mend our pace, or dark night shall
overtake us amid these rough ways."

Wild as the land was, they came at even to a place where were
a few houses of woodmen or hunters; and they got off their horses
and knocked at the door of one of these, and a great black-haired