, if any friendly and
hospitable folk could there be found.

[Illustration: "Dermot took the horn and would have filled it"]

Before he had gone far he came into a wild wood, thick and tangled,
and full of the noise of streams, and the sough of winds, and
twittering of birds, and hum of bees. After he had traversed this
wilderness for a while he came to a mighty tree with densely
interwoven branches, and beneath it a pile of rocks, having on its
summit a pointed drinking horn wreathed with rich ornament, and at its
foot a well of pure bright water. Dermot, being now thirsty, took the
horn and would have filled it at the well, but as he stooped down to
do so he heard a loud, threatening murmur which seemed to rise from
it. "I perceive," he said to himself, "that I am forbidden to drink
from this well" Nevertheless thirst compelled him, and he drank his
fill.

In no long time thereafter he saw an armed warrior of hostile aspect
coming towards him through the wood. No courteous greeting did he give
to Dermot, but began to revile him for roaming in his wood and
wilderness, and for drinking his water. Thereupon they fought, and
for the rest of the afternoon they took and gave hard blows neither
subduing the other, till at last as darkness began to fall the warrior
suddenly dived into the well and was seen no more. Dermot, vexed at
this ending of the combat, then made him ready to spend the night in
that place, but first he slew a deer in the wood, and made a fire,
whereat he roasted pieces of the deer's flesh on spits of white hazel,
and drank abundantly of the well-water, and then slept soundly through
the night.

Next morning when he awakened and went to the well he found the
Champion of the Well standing there and awaiting him. "It is not
enough, Dermot," said he angrily, "for thee to traverse my woods at
will and to drink my water, but thou must even also slay my deer."
Then they closed in combat again, and dealt each other blow for blow
and wound for wound till evening parted them, and the champion dived
into the well as before.

On the third day it went even so; but as evening came on Dermot,
watching closely, rushed at the champion just as he was about to
plunge into the well, and gripped him in his arms. But none the less
the Champion of the Well made his dive, and took down Dermot with him.
And a darkness and faintness came over Dermot, but when he awoke, he
found himself in a wide, open country, flowery and