ttain to. Therefore we live long, and
we fear the Gods if we should strive to live longer, lest they should
bring upon us war and sickness, and over-weening desire, and weariness
of life. Moreover it is little that all of us should seek to the Well
at the World's End; and those few that sought and drank should be
stronger and wiser than the others, and should make themselves earthly
gods, and, maybe, should torment the others of us and make their lives
a very burden to be borne. Of such matters are there tales current
amongst us that so it hath been of yore and in other lands; and ill it
were if such times came back upon us."

Ralph hung his head and was silent; for the joy of the Quest seemed
dying out as the old man's words dropped slowly from his mouth. But he
smiled upon Ralph and went on: "But for you, guests, it is otherwise,
for ye of the World beyond the Mountains are stronger and more godlike
than we, as all tales tell; and ye wear away your lives desiring that
which ye may scarce get; and ye set your hearts on high things,
desiring to be masters of the very Gods. Therefore ye know sickness
and sorrow, and oft ye die before your time, so that ye must depart and
leave undone things which ye deem ye were born to do; which to all men
is grievous. And because of all this ye desire healing and thriving,
whether good come of it, or ill. Therefore ye do but right to seek to
the Well at the World's End, that ye may the better accomplish that
which behoveth you, and that ye may serve your fellows and deliver them
from the thralldom of those that be strong and unwise and unkind, of
whom we have heard strange tales."

Ralph reddened as he spake, and Ursula looked on him anxiously, but
that talk dropped for the present, and they fell to talking of lighter
and more familiar matters.

Thereafter they wandered about the woods with the wardens and the
way-leaders, and the elder brought them to the ancient altar in the
wood whereon the Sorceress had offered up the goat; and the howe of the
woman dight with the necklace of the Quest whom the Lady found dead in
the snow; and the place nigh the house where the Sorceress used to
torment her thrall that was afterwards the Lady of Abundance; yea, and
they went further afield till they came to the Vale of Lore, and the
Heath above it where they met, the King's Son and the Lady. All these
and other places were now become as hallowed ground to the Innocent
People, and to Ral