his fore-runners in a litter done about with precious cloths;
and two score horsemen came next, fully armed after their manner.
Then rode Ralph with David and a half dozen of the magnates:
then came a sort of cooks and other serving men, but none without
a weapon, and last another score of men-at-arms: so that he saw
that fleeing was not to be thought of though he was not bound,
and save for lack of weapons rode like a free man.

The day was clear as yesterday had been, wherefore again
Ralph saw the distant mountain-top like a cloud; and he gazed
at it long till David said: "I see that thou art gazing hard
at the mountains, and perchance art longing to be beyond them,
were it but to see what like the land is on the further side.
If all tales be true thou art best this side thereof,
whatever thy lot may be."

"Lieth death on the other side then?" quoth Ralph. "Yea," said David,
"but that is not all, since he is not asleep elsewhere in the world:
but men say that over there are things to be seen which might slay
a strong man for pure fear, without stroke of sword or dint of axe."

"Yea," said Ralph, "but how was it then with him that builded Goldburg?"

"O," said David, "hast thou heard that tale? Well, they say
of him, who certes went over those mountains, and drank
of the Well at the World's End, that he was one of the lucky:
yet for all his luck never had he drunk the draught had he not
been helped by one who had learned many things, a woman to wit.
For he was one of them with whom all women are in love;
and thence indeed was his luck....Moreover, when all is said,