notabigwoman，butwellfashionedofbody，andlookingasifshehadoncebeenexceedingdaintyandtrim。Shespake，andagainI
seemedtohaveheardhervoicebefore：’Hail，Queen，’shesaid，’itdoesmyheartgoodtoseetheethusinthygloriousestate。’
SoItookhergreeting；butthosetalesofmybeingbutasendingoftheDevilfortheruinofthatlandcameintomymind，andI
sentawaythefolkwhoweretherebybeforeIsaidmoretoher。
Thenshespakeagain：’EvensoIguesseditwouldbethatthouwouldstgrowgreatamongstwomen。’
“ButIsaid，’Whatisthis？andwhenhaveIknowntheebefore-time？’
Shesmiledandsaidnaught；andmymindwentbacktothoseolddays，andItrembled，andthefleshcreptuponmybones，lestthisshouldbethecomingbackinanewshapeofmymistresswhomIhadslain。
Butthewomanlaughed，andsaid，asifsheknewmythoughts：
’Nay，itisnotso：thedeadaredead；fearnot：buthastthouforgottentheDaleofLore？’
“’Nay，’saidI，’never；andartthouthenthecarlinethatlearnedmelore？
Butifthedeadcomenotback，howdotheoldgrowyoungagain？for’tisascoreofyearssincewetwosatintheDale，andIlongedformanythings。’
“Saidthewoman：’ThedeadmaynotdrinkoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd；
yetthelivingmay，eveniftheybeold；andthatblessedwatergiveththemnewmightandchangeththeirblood，andtheyareasyoungfolkforalongwhileagainaftertheyhavedrunken。’
’Andhastthoudrunken？’saidI。
“’Yea，’shesaid；’butIammindedforanotherdraught。’Isaid：
’Andwhereforehastthoucometome，andwhatshallIgivetothee？’
Shesaid，’Iwilltakenogiftoftheeasnow，forIneeditnot，thoughhereafterImayaskagiftofthee。ButIamtoaskthisofthee，ifthouwiltbemyfellow-farerontheroadthither？’
’Yea？’saidI，’andleavemyloveandmylord，andmykingshipwhichhehathgivenme？forthisIwilltellthee，thatallthathereisdone，isdonebyme。’
“’GreatisthyKingship，Lady，’saidthewoman，andsmiledwithal。
Thenshesatsilentalittle，andsaid：’Whensixmonthsareworn，itwillbespringtide；Iwillcometotheeinthespringdays，andknowwhatthymindisthen。ButnowImustdepart。’
QuothI：’GladshallIbetotalkwiththeeagain；
forthoughthouhastlearnedmemuchofwisdom，yetmuchmoreIneed；yea，asmuchasthefolkheredeemIhavealready。’
’Thoushalthavenoless，’saidthewoman。Thenshekissedmyhandsandwentherways，andIsatmusingstillforalongwhile：
becauseforallmygains，andmylovethatIhadbeenlovedwithal，andthegreatnessthatIhadgotten，therewasasitwereaveilofunhappinesswrappedroundaboutmyheart。
“Soworethemonths，anderethewinterhadcomebefellanevilthing，formylord，whohadlovedmeso，andtakenmeoutofthewilderness，died，andwasgatheredtothefathers，andtherewasIleftalone；
fortherewasnofruitofmywombbyhimalive。Myfirst-bornhadbeenslainbythosewretches，andasecondsonthatIborehaddiedofapestilencethatwarandfaminehadbroughtupontheland。
Iwillnotwearthysoulwithwordsaboutmygriefandsorrow：
butitistobetoldthatIsatnowinaperilousplace，andyetI
mightnotstepdownfromitandabideinthatland，forthenitwasasurething，thatsomeofmyfoeswouldhavelaidhandonmeandbroughtmetojudgmentforbeingbutmyself，andIshouldhaveendedmiserably。
SoIgattomeallthestrengththatImight，andwhereasthereweremanywholovedmestill，someformyownsake，andsomeforthesakeofmylordthatwas，Ienduredingoodhopethatallmydayswerenotdone。
YetIlongedforthecomingoftheTeacherofLore；fornowImadeupmymindthatIwouldgowithher，andseektotheWellattheWorld’sEndforwealandwoe。
“ShecamewhileAprilwasyetyoung：andIneedmakenolongtaleofhowwegatusaway：forwhereasshewaswiseinhiddenlore，itwasnohardmatterforhertogivemeanothersemblancethanmineown，sothatImighthavewalkedaboutthestreetsofourcityfromendtoend，andnonehadknownme。
SoIvanishedawayfrommythroneandmykingdom，andthatnameandfameofawitch-wifeclovetomeonceandforall，andspreadwideaboutthecitiesoffolkandthekingdoms，andmanyarethetalesthathavearisenconcerningme，andbelikesomeofthesethouhastheardtold。”
Ralphreddenedandsaid：“Mysoulhasbeenvexedbysomeinklingofthem；
butnowitisatrestfromthemforever。”
“Mayitbeso！”shesaid：“andnowmytaleiswearingthinforthepresenttime。
“Backagainwentmyfeetoverthewaystheyhadtroddenbefore，thoughtheTeachershortenedtheroadmuchforusbyherwisdom。
Onceagainwhatneedtotelltheeofthesewayswhenthineowneyesshallbeholdthemasthouwendestthembesideme？
BeitenoughtosaythatonceagainIcametothatlittlehouseintheuttermostwilderness，andthereoncemorewasthegarthandthegoat-house，andthetreesoftheforestbeyondit，andthewood-lawnsandthestreamsandalltheplacesandthingsthaterstIdeemedImustdwellamongstforever。”
SaidRalph：“Anddidthecarlinekeeptrothwiththee？
Wasshenotbutluringtheethithertobeherthrall？
OrdidthebookthatIreadintheCastleofAbundancebutlieconcerningthee？”
“Sheheldhertrothtomeinallwise。”saidtheLady，“andIwasnothrallofhers，butasasister，oritmaybeevenasadaughter；
forevertomyeyeswasshetheoldcarlinewholearnedmeloreintheDaleofthewildwood。
“Butnowalongwhile，yearslong，weabodeinthatHouseoftheSorceresserewedurstseekfurthertotheWellattheWorld’sEnd。
Andyetmeseemsthoughtheyearswore，theyworemenoolder；
nay，inthefirstdaysatleastIwaxedstrongerofbodyandfairerthanI
hadbeenintheKing’sPalaceintheLandoftheTower，asthoughsomeforetasteoftheWellwasthereforusinthelonelinessofthedesert；
althoughforsooththeabidingthereamidstthescantinessoflivelihood，andthenakedness，andthetoil，andthetormentofwindandweatherwereasapenanceforthedaysanddeedsofourpastlives。
Whatmoreistosayconcerningourliveshere，savingthis，thatinthosedaysIlearnedyetmorewisdomoftheTeacherofLore，andamidstthatwisdomwasmuchofthatwhichyecallsorcery：
astheforeseeingofthingstocome，andthesendingofdreamsorvisions，andcertainothermatters。AndImaytelltheethattheholymanwhocametouslasteven，Isenthimthedreamwhichcametohimdrowsing，andbadehimcometothehelpingofWaltertheBlack：forIknewthatI
shouldtakethyhandandfleewiththeethismorninge’enasIhavedone：
andIwouldfainhaveagoodleechtoWalterlestheshoulddie，althoughIowehimhatredratherthanlove。Now，myfriend，tellme，isthisanevildeed，anddostthoushrinkfromtheSorceress？”
Hestrainedhertohisbosomandkissedhermouth，andthenhesaid：“Yetthouhastneversentadreamtome。”
Shelaughedandsaid：“What！hastthouneverdreamedofmesincewemetatthewant-wayoftheWoodPerilous？”
“Never。”saidhe。Shestrokedhischeekfondly，andsaid：
“Youngartthou，sweetfriend，andsleepestwella-nights。Itwasenoughthatthouthoughtestofmeinthywakinghours。”
Thenshewentonwithhertale。
TheLadyMakethanEndofHerTale“Well，myfriend，afterwehadlivedthusalongtime，wesetoutonedaytoseektotheWellattheWorld’sEnd，eachofussignedandmarkedoutforthequestbybearingsuch-likebeadsasthouandIbothbearuponourneckstoday。
OnceagainofallthatbefellusonthatquestIwilltelltheenaughtasnow：becausetothatWellhaveItobringthee：
thoughmyself，belike，Ineednotitswatersagain。”
QuothRalph：“Andmustthouleadmethyveryself，mayestthounotabideinsomesafeplacemygoingandreturning？
Somanyandsoreasthetoilsandperilsofthewaymaybe。”
“What！”shesaid，“andhowshallIbesunderedfromtheenowI
havefoundthee？Yea，andwhoshallleadthee，thoulovelyboy？
Shallitbeamantobewraythee，orawomantobewrayme？
Yetneedwenotgotomorrow，mybeloved，norformanydays：
sosweetaswearetoeachother。
“Butinthosepastdaysitwasneedsmustwebeginourquestbeforetheburdenofyearswasoverheavyuponus。
Shortlytosayit，wefoundtheWell，anddrankofitswatersafterabundanttoilandperil，asthoumaystwelldeem。
Thenthelifeandthesoulcamebacktous，andthepastyearswereasnaughttous，andmyyouthwasrenewedinme，andIbecameasthouseestmeto-day。Butmyfellowwasasawomanoffortysummersagain，strongandfairasIhadseenherwhenshecameintothegardeninthedaysofmyQueenhood，andthuswereturnedtotheHouseoftheSorceress，andrestedthereforalittlefromourtravelandourjoy。
“Atlast，andthatwasbutsomefiveyearsago，theTeachersaidtome：
’Sister，Ihavelearnedtheeallthatthineheartcantakeofme，andthouartstronginwisdom，andmoreoveragainshallitbewiththee，asItoldoftheelongago，thatnomanshalllookontheethatshallnotlovethee。NowIwillnotseektoseethylifethatiscoming，norwhatthineendshallbe，forthatshouldbelikebegrievoustobothofus；butthisIseeofthee，thatthouwiltnowguidethylifenotasIwill，butasthouwilt；andsincemywayisnotthyway，andthatIseethoushaltnotlongabidealone，nowshallwesunder；
forIammindedtogotothemostancientpartsoftheworld，andseekalltheinnermostofwisdomwhilesIyetlive；butwithkingsandchampionsandthecitiesoffolkwillIhavenomoretodo：
whilethoushaltnotbeabletorefrainfromthese。SonowI
bidtheefarewell。’
“Iweptatherwords，butgainsaidthemnaught，forIwottedthatshespakebutthetruth；soIkissedher，andweparted；
shewentherwaysthroughthewildwood，andIabodeattheHouseoftheSorceress，andwaitedonthewearingofthedays。
“Butscarceamonthafterherdeparture，asIstoodbythethresholdonemorningamidstofthegoats，Isawmencomeridingfromoutthewood；soI
abodethem，andtheycametothegateofthegarthandtherelighteddownfromtheirhorses，andtheywerethreeincompany；andnooneofthemwasyoung，andonewasold，withwhitelocksflowingdownfromunderhishelm：
fortheywereallarmedinknightlyfashion，buttheyhadnaughtbutwhitegaberdinesovertheirhauberks，withnocoat-armourortokenuponthem。
Sotheycamethroughthegarth-gateandIgreetedthemandaskedthemwhattheywould；thentheoldmankneltdownonthegrassbeforemeandsaid：
’IfIwereasyoungasIamoldmyheartwouldfailmeinbeholdingthybeauty：butnowIwillasktheesomewhat：farawaybeyondtheforestweheardrumoursofawomandwellingintheuttermostdesert，whohaddrunkoftheWellattheWorld’sEnd，andwaswisebeyondmeasure。
Nowwehavesetourselvestoseekthatwoman，andifthoubeshe，wewouldaskaquestionofthywisdom。’
“IansweredthatIwasevensuchastheyhadheardof，andbadethemask。
“Saidtheoldman：
“’Fiftyyearsago，whenIwasyetbutayoungman，therewasafairwomanwhowasQueenoftheLandoftheTowerandwhomwelovedsorelybecausewehaddwelttogetherwithheramidsttribulationinthedesertandthewildwood：andwearenotofherpeople，butafellowshipoffreemenandchampionshighttheMenoftheDryTree：andwehopedthatshewouldonedaycomebackanddwellwithusandbeourLadyandQueen：
andindeedtroubleseemeddrawinganighher，sothatwemighthelpherandshemightbecomeourfellowagain，whenlo！shevanishedawayfromthefolkandnoneknewwhereshewasgone。
ThereforeabandofusoftheDryTreesworeanoathtogethertoseekhertillwefoundher，thatwemightliveanddietogether：
butofthatbandofonescoreandone，amIthelastoneleftthatseeketh；fortherestaredead，orsick，ordeparted：
andindeedIwastheyoungestofthem。Butforthesetwomen，theyaremysonswhomIhavebredintheknowledgeofthesethingsandinthehopeoffindingtidingsofourLadyandQueen，ifitwerebuttheplacewhereherbodylieth。Thouartwise：