Thereinhefoundaladoffifteenwinters，andamaidenspinning，theytwoalone，whohailedhimandaskedhispleasure，andhebadethembringhimmeatanddrink，andlooktohishorse，forthathehadamindtorestawhile。Sotheybroughthimbreadandflesh，andgoodwineofthehill-side，inalittlehallwellarrayedasofitskind；
andhesatdownandthedamselservedhimattable，butthelad，whohadgonetoseetohishorse，didnotcomeback。
Sowhenhehadeatenanddrunk，andthedamselwasstillthere，helookedonherandsawthatshewassadanddroopingofaspect；
andwhereasshewasafairmaiden，Ralph，nowthathewasfull，felltopityingher，andaskedherwhatwasamiss。“For。”saidhe，“thouartfairandailestnought；thatiscleartosee；
neitherdwellestthouinpenury，butbyseeminghastenoughandtospare。
Orartthouaservantinthishouse，andhathanyonemisusedthee？”
Sheweptathiswords，forindeedhespokesoftlytoher；
thenshesaid：“Younglord，thouartkind，anditisthykindnessthatdraweththetearsfromme；elseitwerenotwelltoweepbeforeayoungman：thereforeIpraytheepardonme。
Asforme，Iamnoservant，norhasanyonemisusedme：
thefolkroundaboutaregoodandneighbourly；andthishouseandthecroft，andavineyardhardby，allthatismineownandmybrother’s；thatistheladwhohathgonetotendthinehorse。Yea，andweliveinpeacehereforthemostpart；
forthisthorp，whichiscalledBourtonAbbas，isalandoftheAbbeyofHigham；thoughitbetheoutermostofitslandsandtheAbbotisagoodlordandadefenceagainsttyrants。
Alliswellwithmeifonethingwerenot。”
“Whatisthyneedthen？”saidRalph，“ifperchanceImightamendit。”
Andashelookedonherhedeemedheryetfairerthanhehaddoneatfirst。
Butshestayedherweepingandsobbingandsaid：“Sir，IfearmethatI
havelostadearfriend。”“Howthen。”saidhe，“whyfearestthou，andknowestnot？doththyfriendliesickbetweenlifeanddeath？”
“OSir。”shesaid，“itistheWoodwhichistheevilanddisease。”
“Whatwoodisthat？”saidhe。
Shesaid：“TheWoodPerilous，thatliethbetwixtusandtheBurgoftheFourFriths，andallabouttheBurg。And，Sir，ifyebemindedtoridetotheBurgto-day，doitnot，forthroughthewoodmustthouwendthereto；andyeareyoungandlovely。
Thereforetakemyrede，andabidetilltheChapmenwendthitherfromHigham，whoridemanyincompany。For，lookyou，fairlord，yehaveaskedofmygrief，andthisitisandnoughtelse；
thatmyveryearthlyloveandspeech-friendrodefivedaysagotowardtheBurgoftheFourFrithsallalonethroughtheWoodPerilous，andhehasnotcomeback，thoughwelookedtoseehiminthreedays’wearing：buthishorsehascomeback，andthereinsandthesaddleallbloody。”
Andshefella-weepingwiththetellingofthetale。ButRalphsaidforheknewnotwhattosay：“Keepagoodheart，maiden；maybeheissafeandsound；oftareyoungmenfondtowanderwide，evenasImyself。”
Shelookedathimhardandsaid：“Ifthouhaststolenthyselfawayfromthemthatlovethee，thouhastdoneamiss。
Thoughthouartalord，andsofairasIseethee，yetwillI
telltheesomuch。”
Ralphreddenedandanswerednought；butdeemedthemaidenbothfairandsweet。Butshesaid：“Whetherthouhastdonewellorill，donoworse；
butabidetilltheChapmencomefromHigham，ontheirwaytotheBurgoftheFourFriths。Heremaystthoulodgewellandsafelyifthouwilt。
Orifourhallbenotdaintyenoughforthee，thengobacktoHigham：
Iwarrantmethemonkswillgivetheegoodguestingaslongasthouwilt。”
“Thouartkind，maiden。”saidRalph，“butwhyshouldItarryforanhost？andwhatshouldIfearintheWood，asevilasitmaybe？
Onemanjourneyingwithlittlewealth，andunknown，andhenoweakling，butbearinggoodweapons，hathnoughttodreadofstrong-thieves，whoeverrobwhereitiseasiestandgainfullest。AndwhatworsemayImeetthanstrong-thieves？”
“Butthoumayestmeetworse。”shesaid；andtherewithfella-weepingagain，andsaidamidsthertears：“Owearyonmylife！AndwhyshouldIheedtheewhennoughtheedethme，neithertheSaintsofGod’sHouse，northeMasterofit；northefatherandthemotherthatwereoncesopiteouskindtome？
OifImightbutdrinkadraughtfromtheWELLATTHEWORLD’SEND！”
Heturnedaboutonherhastilyatthatword；forhehadrisentodepart；
beinggrievedathergriefandwishfultobeawayfromit，sincehemightnotamendit。Butnowhesaideagerly：
“WherethenisthatWell？Knowyeofitinthisland？”
“AtleastIknowthehearsaythereof。”shesaid；“butasnowthoushaltknownomorefrommethereof；lestthouwanderthewiderinseekingit。
Iwouldnothavethylifespilt。”
Everashelookedonherhethoughtherstillfairer；
andnowhelookedlongonher，sayingnought，andsheonhiminlikewise，andthebloodrosetohercheeksandherbrow，butshewouldnotturnherfromhisgaze。Atlasthesaid：
“Wellthen，Imustdepart，nomorelearnedthanIcame：
butyetamIlesshungryandthirstythanIcame；andhavethouthankstherefor。”
TherewithhetookfromhispouchagoldpieceofUpmeads，whichwasgood，andofthetouchoftheEasterlings，andhelditouttoher。
Andsheputoutheropenhandandheputthemoneyinit；butthoughtitgoodtoholdherhandawhile，andshegainsayedhimnot。
Thenhesaid：“Wellthen，Imustneedsdepartwiththingsleftastheyare：
wiltthoubidthybrotherbringhithermyhorse，fortimepresses。”
“Yea。”shesaidandherhandwasstillinhis，“Yetdothineutmost，yetshaltthounotgettotheBurgbeforenightfall。
Owiltthounottarry？”
“Nay。”hesaid，“myheartwillnotsufferit；lestIdeemmyselfadastard。”
Thenshereddenedagain，butasifshewerewroth；andshedrewherhandawayfromhisandsmoteherpalmstogetherthriceandcriedout：
“HoHugh！bringhithertheKnight’shorseandbespeedy！”
Andshewenthitherandthitheraboutthehallandintothebutteryandback，puttingawaythevictualandvesselsfromtheboardandmakingasifsheheededhimnot：andRalphlookedonher，anddeemedthateachwayshemovedwasbetterthanthelast，soshapelyoffashionshewas；
andagainhebethoughthimoftheEven-songoftheHighHouseatUpmeads，andhowitbefittedher；forshewentbarefootafterthemannerofmaidenswhoworkafield，andherfeetweretannedwiththesunofhayharvest，butasshapelyasmightbe；butshewascladgoodlywithal，inagreengownwroughtwithflowers。
Sohewatchedhergoingtoandfro；andatlasthesaid：
“Maiden，wiltthoucomehitheralittle，beforeIdepart？”
“Yea。”shesaid；andcameandstoodbeforehim：
andhedeemedthatshewasscarcesosadasshehadbeen；
andshestoodwithherhandsjoinedandhereyesdowncast。
Thenhesaid：
“NowIdepart。YetIwouldsaythis，thatIamsorryofthysorrow：
andnowsinceIshallneverseetheemore，smallwouldbetheharmifI
weretokissthylipsandthyface。”
Andtherewithhetookherhandsinhisanddrewhertohim，andputhisarmsaboutherandkissedhermanytimes，andshenothinglothebyseeming；
andhefoundherassweetasMayblossom。
Thereaftershesmiledonhim，yetscarceforgladness，andsaid：
“ItisnotallsosurethatIshallnotseetheeagain；
yetshallIdototheeasthouhastdonetome。”
Therewithshetookhisfacebetweenherhands，andkissedhimwell-favouredly；
sothatthehourseemedgoodtohim。
Thenshetookhimbythehandandledhimout-a-doorstohishorse，wherebytheladhadbeenstandingagoodwhile；andhewhenhesawhissistercomeoutwiththefairknighthescowledonthem，andhandledaknifewhichhungathisgirdle；butRalphheededhimnought。
Asforthedamsel，sheputherbrotheraside，andheldthestirrupforRalph；andwhenhewasinthesaddleshesaidtohim：
“Allluckgowiththee！ForsoothIdeemtheesaferintheWoodthanmywordssaid。VerilyIdeemthatifthouwerttomeetacompanyoffoemen，thouwouldestcompelthemtodothybidding。”
“Farewelltotheemaiden。”saidRalph，“andmaystthoufindthybelovedwholeandwell，andthatspeedily。Fare-well！”
Shesaidnomore；soheshookhisreinandrodehisways；butlookedoverhisshoulderpresentlyandsawherstandingyetbarefootonthedustyhighwayshadinghereyesfromtheafternoonsunandlookingafterhim，andhewavedhishandtoherandsowenthiswaysbetweenthehousesoftheThorp。
RalphComethtotheWoodPerilous。AnAdventureThereinNowwhenhewasclearoftheThorptheroadtookhimoutofthedale；andwhenhewasonthehill’sbrowhesawthatthelandwasofotherfashionfromthatwhichlaybehindhim。
Fortheroadwentstraightthrougharoughwaste，nopasture，saveformountainsheeporgoats，withafewbushesscatteredaboutit；andbeyondthisthelandroseintoalongridge；
andontheridgewasawoodthickwithtrees，andnobreakinthem。
Soonherode，andsoonpassedthatwaste，whichwasdryandparched，andtheafternoonsunwashotonit；sohedeemeditgoodtocomeundertheshadowofthethicktreeswhichatthefirstwerewhollybeechtrees，foritwasnowthehottestoftheday。
Therewasstillabeatenwaybetweenthetree-boles，thoughnotoverwide，albeit，ahighway，sinceitpiercedthewood。
Sotherebyhewentatasoftpaceforthesavingofhishorse，andthoughtbutlittleofallhehadbeentoldoftheperilsoftheway，andnotalittleofthefairmaidwhomhehadleftbehindattheThorp。
Afterawhilethethickbeech-woodgaveout，andhecameintoaplacewheregreatoaksgrew，fairandstately，asthoughsomelord’swood-reevehadtakencarethattheyshouldnotgrowoverclosetogether，andbetwixtthemthegreenswardwasfine，unbroken，andflowery。
Therebyasherodehebehelddeer，bothbuckandhartandroe，andotherwildthings，butforalongwhilenoman。
Theafternoonworeandstillherodetheoakwood，anddeemeditagoodlyforestforthegreatestkingonearth。
Atlasthecametowhereanotherroadcrossedthewayhefollowed，andaboutthecrosswaywasthegroundcleareroftrees，whilebeyonditthetreesgrewthicker，andtherewassomeunderwoodofhollyandthornasthegroundfelloffastowardsalittledale。
ThereRalphdrewrein，becausehedoubtedinhismindwhichwashisrightroadtowardtheBurgoftheFourFriths；sohegotoffhishorseandabodealittle，ifperchanceanymightcomeby；
helookedabouthim，andnotedontheroadthatcrossedhis，andtheswardaboutit，thesignofmanyhorseshavinggoneby，anddeemedthattheyhadpassedbutalittlewhile。
Sohelayonthegroundtoresthimandlethishorsestrayaboutandbitethegrass；forthebeastlovedhimandwouldcomeathiscallorhiswhistle。
Ralphwasdrowsywhenhelaydown，andthoughhesaidtohimselfthathewouldnowisegotosleep，yetasofthappens，hehadnodefencetomakeagainstsleepiness，andpresentlyhishandsrelaxed，hisheadfellaside，andhesleptquietly。
Whenhewokeupinalittlespaceoftime，heknewatoncethatsomethinghadawakedhimandthathehadnothadhissleepout；
forinhisearswasthetramplingofhorse-hoofsandtheclashingofweaponsandloudspeechofmen。Soheleaptuphastily，andwhilehewasyetscarceawake，tooktowhistlingonhishorse；
buteventherewiththosemenwereuponhim，andtwocameuptohimandlaidholdofhim；andwhenheaskedthemwhattheywould，theybadehimholdhispeace。