a little while,
friends." So they went but Ursula lay in the bed, which was in a nook
in the wall; the man looked about the chamber and said: "Is there any
one in the bed?" "Yea," said Ralph, "my wife, good fellow; shall she go
also?" "Nay," said the carle, "we shall do as we are now. So I will
begin my tale."

Ralph looked on him and deemed he had seen him before, but could not
altogether call his visage to mind; so he held his peace and the man
went on.

"I am of the folk of the shepherds of the Downs: we be not a many by
count of noses, but each one of us who is come to man's yean, and many
who be past them, as I myself, can handle weapons at a pinch. Now some
deal we have been harried and have suffered by these wretches who have
eaten into the bowels of this land; that is to say, they have lifted
our sheep, and slain some of us who withstood them: but whereas our
houses be uncostly and that we move about easily from one hill-side to
another, it is like that we should have deemed it wisest to have borne
this trouble, like others of wind and weather, without seeking new
remedy, but that there have been tokens on earth and in the heavens,
whereof it is too long to tell thee, lord, at present, which have
stirred up our scattered folk to meet together in arms. Moreover, the
blood of our young men is up, because the Burg-devils have taken some
of our women, and have mishandled them grievously and shamefully, so
that naught will keep point and edge from seeking the war-clash.
Furthermore, there is an old tale which hath now come up again, That
some time when our folk shall be in great need, there shall come to our
helping one from afar, whose home is anigh; a stripling and a great
man; a runaway, and the conqueror of many: then, say they, shall the
point and the edge bring the red water down on the dear dales; whereby
we understand that the blood of men shall be shed there, and naught to
our shame or dishonour. Again I mind me of a rhyme concerning this
which sayeth:

The Dry Tree shall be seen
On the green earth, and green
The Well-spring shall arise
For the hope of the wise.
They are one which were twain,
The Tree bloometh again,
And the Well-spring hath come
From the waste to the home.

Well, lord, thou shalt tell me presently if this hath aught to do with
thee: for indeed I saw the Dry Tree, which hath scared us so many a
time, beaten on thy sergeants' coats; but now I wi