Said Ralph: "Do folk tell that the Well at the World's End lieth beyond it?"
"Surely," said the minstrel.

Said Ralph, his face flushing: "Forsooth, that ancient lord
of Goldburg came through those mountains, and why not I?"
"Yea," said the minstrel, "why not?" And therewith he looked
uneasily on Ralph, who heeded his looks naught, for his mind
was set on high matters.

On then they rode, and when trees or some dip in the land hid
that mountain top from them, the way seemed long to Ralph.

Naught befell to tell of for some while; but at last,
when it was drawing towards evening again, they had been riding
through a thick pine-wood for a long while, and coming out of it
they beheld before them a plain country fairly well grassed,
but lo! on the field not far from the roadside a pavilion
pitched and a banner on the top thereof, but the banner hung
down about the staff, so that the bearing was not seen:
and about this pavilion, which was great and rich of fashion,
were many tents great and small, and there were horses tethered
in the field, and men moving about the gleam of armour.

At this sight the minstrel drew rein and stared about him wildly;
but Ralph said: "What is this, is it the peril aforesaid?"
"Yea," quoth the minstrel, shivering with fear. "What aileth thee?"
said Ralph; "have we not the let-pass, what then can befall us?
If this be other than the Lord of Utterbol, he will see
our let-pass and let us alone; or if it be he indeed,
what harm shall he do to the bearers of his own pass?