"Well," said Ralph, "tell me what thou hast to say of the Well." Said
Morfinn: "This will I tell thee first: that if thou hast any doubt
that such a place there is, thou mayst set that aside; for we of
Utterness and Utterbol are sure thereof; and of all nations and peoples
whereof we know, we deem that we are the nighest thereto. How sayest
thou, is that not already something?" "Yea, verily," said Ralph.

"Now," said Morfinn, "the next thing to be said is that we are on the
road thereto: but the third thing again is this, lord, that though few
who seek it find it, yet we know that some have failed not of it,
besides that lord of Goldburg, of whom I know that thou hast heard.
Furthermore, there dwelleth a sage in the woods not right far from
Utterbol, a hermit living by himself; and folk seek to him for divers
lore, to be holpen by him in one way or other, and of him men say that
he hath so much lore concerning the road to the Well (whether he hath
been there himself they know not certainly), that if he will, he can
put anyone on the road so surely that he will not fail to come there,
but he be slain on the way, as I said to thee in Goldburg. True it is
that the said sage is chary of his lore, and if he think any harm of
the seeker, he will show him naught; but, fair sir, thou art so valiant
and so goodly, and as meseemeth so good a knight per amours, that I
deem it a certain thing that he will tell thee the uttermost of his
knowledge."

Now again waxed Ralph eager concerning his quest; for true it is that
since he had had that story of the damsel from the minstrel, she had
stood in the way before the Well at the World's End. But now he said:
"And canst thou bring me to the said sage, good minstrel?" "Without
doubt," quoth Morfinn, "when we are once safe at Utterbol. From
Utterbol ye may wend any road."

"Yea," said Ralph, "and there are perils yet a few on the way, is it
not so?" "So it is," said the minstrel; "but to-morrow shall try all."
Said Ralph: "And is there some special peril ahead to-morrow? And if it
be so, what is it?" Said his fellow: "It would avail thee naught to
know it. What then, doth that daunt thee?" "No," said Ralph, "by then
it is nigh enough to hurt us, we shall be nigh enough to see it."
"Well said!" quoth the minstrel; "but now we must mend our pace, or
dark night shall overtake us amid these rough ways."

Wild as the land was, they came at even to a place where were a few
hous