It was the monk who had been his guide the day before who had now waked him,
and he stood by the bedside holding a great bowl of milk in his hand,
and as Ralph sat up, and rubbed his eyes, with all his youthful sloth
upon him, the monk laughed and said:

"That is well, lord, that is well! I love to see a young
man so sleepy in the morning; it is a sign of thriving;
and I see thou art thriving heartily for the time when thou
shalt come back to us to lead my lord's host in battle."

"Where be the bale-fires?" said Ralph, not yet fully awake.

"Where be they!" said the brother, "where be they! They be sunken
to cold coals long ago, like many a man's desires and hopes,
who hath not yet laid his head on the bosom of the mother,
that is Holy Church. Come, my lord, arise, and drink
the monk's wine of morning, and then if ye must need ride,
ride betimes, and ride hard; for the Wood Perilous beginneth
presently as ye wend your ways; and it were well for thee
to reach the Burg of the Four Friths ere thou be benighted.
For, son, there be untoward things in the wood; and though
some of them be of those for whom Christ's Cross was shapen,
yet have they forgotten hell, and hope not for heaven,
and their by-word is, 'Thou shalt lack ere I lack.'
Furthermore there are worse wights in the wood than they be--
God save us!--but against them have I a good hauberk,
a neck-guard which I will give thee, son, in token that I look
to see thee again at the lovely house of Mary our Mother."

Ralph had taken the bowl and was drinking, but he looked over