Evensotheydid，androdeforward，andpresentlytheysawthespearmenthattheyweresomewhatmorethantheircompany，andthattheywerewellmountedonblackhorsesandcladinblackarmour。
ThentheydrewreinforawhileandRedheadscannedthemagainandsaid：
“Yea，thesearethemenofthebrotherofthyhotwooer，LadyUrsula，whomIcooledintheRam’sBane，butamanwellnighasoldashisuncle，thoughhehathnotmadementremblesosore，albeithebefarthebetterman，agoodwarrior，awiseleader，areiverandlifterwellwroughtatallpoints。Well，’tisnotunlikethatweshallhavetospeaktohismenagain，eitherout-goingorhome-coming：sowehadbestkillasmanyoftheseaswemaynow。
Doonthysallet，mylord；andthou，Michael-a-greenshakeouttheBull；
andthou，ourNoise，blowapointofwarthattheymaybewarned。
Godtoaid！buttheybereadyandspeedy！”
InsoothevenasthepennonoftheBullrandownthewindandtheUtterbolhornwaswinded，theBlackmen-at-armscameonatatrot，andpresentlywithagreatscreechingyellcasttheirspearsintotherest，andspurredonalltheymight，whileahalfscoreofbowmenwhohadcomeoutofthethicketbenttheirbowsandfella-shooting。ButnowthemenofUtterbolspurredtomeetthefoe，andasRedheadcasthisspearintotherest，hesaidtoRalph：
“GladamIthatthyLadyisaneartoseeme，fornowIworshipher。”
Therewiththetwobandsmet，andwhereasonneithersidewasthearmourverystout，somemenofeitherbandwerehurtorslainatoncewithspearthrust；though，saveforRalph，theydidnotrunstraightoneachother；butfencedandfoinedwiththeirspearsdeftlyenough。
AsforRalph，hesmoteatallmanfullonthebreastandpiercedhimthroughandthrough，andthenpulledouttheUpmeadsbladeandsmoteontherighthandandtheleft，sothatnonecameanighhimwillingly。
Shortlytosayit，infiveminutes’timetheBlackRiderswerefleeingalloverthefieldwiththemofUtterbolattheirheels，andthebowmenranbackagainintothewood。
Butoneofthefoemenashefledcastajavelinataventure，andwhoshouldbebeforeitsaveUrsula，sothatshereeledinhersaddle，andwouldhavefallendownrightbutforoneoftheUtterbolfellowswhostayedher，andgothergentlyoffherhorse。
ThisRalphsawnot，forhefollowedfarinthechase，andwascomingbacksomewhatslowlyalongwithRedhead，whowashurt，butnotsorely。Sowhenhecameup，andsawUrsulasittingonthegrasswithfourorfivemenabouther，hesickenedforfear；
butsheroseupandcameslowlyandpale-facedtomeethim，andsaid：“Fearnot，beloved，forsteelkeptoutsteel：
Ihavenoscratchorpointoredgeonme。”Sotherewithhekissedher，andembracedher，andwasglad。
TheUtterbolRidershadslainsixteenoftheirfoemen；
fortheytooknonetomercy，andfouroftheirbandwereslainoutright，andsixhurt，butnotgrievously。
Sotheytarriedawhileonthefieldofdeedtorestthemandtendtheirwoundedmen，andsorodeonagainheedfully。
ButRedheadspake：“Itisgoodtoseetheetilting，King’sSon。
IdoubtmeIshallneverlearnthydownrightthrust。
DostthourememberhowsorryajobImadeofit，whenwemetinthelistsatValeTurristhatotherday？”
“Yea，yea。”saidRalph。“Thouwerebestletthatfleastickonthewall。
Forto-day，atleast，Ihaveseentheeplayatsharpsdeftlyenough。”
QuothRedhead：“Lord，itisnaught，afiveminutes’scramble。
Thatwhichtriethaman，istofightandovercome，andstraighthavetofightwithfreshfoemen，andyetagain，tillyelongfordarknighttocoveryou——yea，orevendeath。”
“Warrior-likeandwiselythouspeakest。”saidRalph；
“andwhoeverthouservestthoushaltservewell。
AndnowoncemoreIwoulditwereme。”
Redheadshookhisheadatthatword，andsaid：“Iwoulditmightbeso；
butitwillnotbesoasnow。”
Forthontheyrode，andsleptinawoodthatnight，keepinggoodwatch；
butsawnomoreoftheBlackRidersforthattime。
Onadaythereafterwhenitwasnighevening，Ralphlookedabout，andsawacertainwoodontheedgeofaplain，andhestayedUrsula，andsaid：
“Lookroundabout，beloved；forthisistheveryfieldwhereasIwasbetrayedintothehandsofthemenofUtterbol。”Shesmiledonhimandsaid：
“Letmelightdownthen，thatImaykisstheearthofthatkindfield，wherethouwertnotstayedoverlong，butevenlongenoughthatwemightmeetinthedarkwoodthereafter。”
“Sweetling。”saidRalph，“thismaystthoudoandgrievenoman，notevenforalittle。Forloyou！thecaptainisstayingthesumpter-beasts，anditishismind，belike，thatweshallsleepinyonderwoodto-night。”Therewithhelighteddownandsheinlikewise：
thenhetookherbythehandandledheronafewyards，andsaid：
“Lo，beloved，thisquicken-tree；herebyitwasthatthetentwaspitchedwhereinIlaythenightwhenIwastaken。”
Shelookedonhimshylyandsaid：“Wiltthounotsleephereoncemoreto-night？”
“Yea，well-beloved。”saidhe，“Iwillbidthempitchthytentonthissameplace，thatImaysmellthewildthymeagain，asIdidthatotherwhile。”
Sothereonthefieldofhisancientgrieftheyrestedthatnightinallloveandcontent。
OfGoldburgAgain，andtheQueenThereofNextdaytheywentforththroughthecountrywherethroughMorfinnhadledRalphintocaptivity；andRedheadrodewarily；
forthereweremanypasseswhichlookeddoubtful：butwhethertheillmenfearedtomeddlewiththem，orhoweveritwere，nonewaylaidthem，andtheyallcamesafelytothegateofGoldburg，thetowerswhereofwerefulloffolklookingforthonthem。
Sotheydisplayedtheirpennon，androdeintothestreet，wherefolkpressedabouttheminfriendlywise；forthenewLordofUtterbolhadmadefirmandfastpeacewithGoldburg。
Sotheyrodetothehostel，andgatthemvictual，andrestedinpeacethatnight。ButRalphwonderedwhethertheQueenwouldsendforhimwhensheheardofhiscomingbackagain，andhehopedthatshewouldlethimbe；forhewasashamedwhenhethoughtofherloveforhim，andhowthathehadcleanforgottenhertillhewasclosetoGoldburgagain。
ButwhenmorningwascomeRalphspaketoRedheadandaskedhimhowheshoulddotowagemenforthehomewardjourneyonthence；
andRedheadsaid：“IhavealreadyseentheClerkofthePorte，andhewillbehereinanhourwiththelicensefortheetowagementogowiththeetoCheapingKnowe。Asforme，ImustneedsgoseetheKing，andgivehimalettersealedbymylord’shand；
andwhenIcomebackfromhim，Iwillgoroundtothealehouseswhichbehauntedofthemen-at-armstoseeafterstrongcarlesforthineavail。
ButtotheKinghastthounoneedtogo，savehesendforthee，whereasthouartnotcomehithertochaffer，andheneedethnotmenofwar。”
Ralphstaredathimandsaid：“TheKing，saystthou？istherenoQueenofGoldburg？”SaidRedhead：“ThereistheKing’sweddedwife，buthertheycallnotQueen，butLady。”
“ButtheQueenthatwas。”saidRalph，“whereisshethen？”
“Yeatruly。”saidRedhead，“aQueensataloneasrulerhereawhileago；
butwhethershedied，orwhatbefellher，Iknownothing。
IhadlittletodowithGoldburgtillourlordconqueredUtterbol。
Loherethehost！hemaytelltheethetalethereof。”
Therewithhedeparted，andleftRalphwiththehost，whomRalphquestionedofthestory，forhisheartwaswrunglestsuchafairwomanandsofriendlyshouldhavecometoharm。
SothehostsatdownbyRalphandsaid：“Mymaster，thisisatalewhichisgrievoustous：forthoughthesaintsforbidIshouldsayawordagainstmylordthatisnow，noristhereanyneedto，yetwedeemedushappytobeundersodearaladyandsogoodandfairasshewas。
Well，sheisgonesothatwewotnotwhethershebelivingordead。
Forsoitisthatintheearlyspring，somewhatmorethanayearagothatis，onemorningwhenfolkarose，theQueen’splacewasempty。
Ridingandrunningtherewasaboutandabout，butnonethemorewasshefound。Forsoothastimewore，talesweretoldofwhatwisesheleftus，andwhy：butshewasgone。Well，fairsir，manydeemedthatthoughherlineagewasknownbyseeming，yetshewasofthefairy，andneededneithersteednorchariottogowhereshewould。
Butherwomenandthosethatknewherbest，deemedthatwhatsoshewere，shehadslainherself，astheythought，forsomeunhappinessoflove。
Forindeedshehadlonggoneaboutsadanddistraught，thoughsheneitherwept，norwouldsayonewordofhersorrow，whatsoeveritmightbe。
“But，fairsir，sincethouartastranger，andartpresentlydepartingfromourcity，Iwilltelltheeathing。
Towit；onemonthorsoaftershehadvanishedaway，Iheldtalkwithacertainoldfishermanofourwater，andhetoldmethatonthatsamenightofhervanishing，ashestoodonthewater-sidehandingthehawserofhisbarque，andthesailwasallreadytobesheetedhome，therecamealongtheshoreawomangoingveryswiftly，who，glancingabouther，asiftoseethattherewasnonelookingonorprying，cameuptohim，andprayedhiminasweetvoiceforinstantpassagedownthewater。
Wrappedshewasinadarkcloakandacowloverherhead，butassheputforthherhandtogivehimgold，hesawevenbythelightofhislanternthatitwasexceedingfair，andthatgreatgemsflashedfromthefinger-rings，andthattherewasagreatgoldringmostpreciousonherarm。
“Heyeasaidherasking，partlybecauseofhergold，partlyashetoldmethathefearedher，deeminghertobeofthefairy。
Thenshesteppedoverhisgangwayofoneboardontohisboat，andasheheldthelanternlowdowntolighther，lestsheshouldmakeafalsestepandfallintothewater，henotedquothhe
thatagoldenshoeallbegemmedcameoutfromundergown-hemandthatthesaidhemwasbroideredthicklywithpearlandjewels。
“Smallwashisbarque，andhealonewiththewoman，andtherewasawindintheMarchnight，andthestreamisswiftbetwixtthequaysofourcity；sothatbynightandcloudtheymademuchwaydownthewater，andatsunriseweresailingthroughthegreatwoodwhichliethhenceatwentyleaguesseaward。
Sowhenthesunwasrisenshestoodupintheforepartoftheboat，andbadehimturnthebarquetowardtheshore，andevenasthebowsranuponthesand，sheleaptoutandletthethicketcoverher；norhaveanyofGoldburgseenhersince，ortheQueen。ButformypartIdeemthewomantohavebeennoneotherthantheQueen。Seestthouthen！sheisgone：
buttheKingRainaldhercousinreignsinherstead，awiseman，andamighty，andnotyrantorskinnerofthepeople。”
Ralphheardandpondered，andwasexceedingsorry，andmorehadhebeenbutforthejoyousnesswhichcameoftheWateroftheWell。
Howbeithemightnotamendit：forevenwerehetoseekfortheQueenandfindher，itmightwellbeworsethanlettingitbe。Forheknewwhenhethoughtofherthatshelovedhim，andhowwoulditbeifshemightnotoutwearherlove，orendurethedaysofGoldburg，andhefaraway？
Thishesaidtohimself，whichhemightnothavesaidtoanyothersoul。
TheyCometoCheapingKnoweOnceMore。OftheKingThereofTowardeveningcomesRedhead，andtellsRalphhowhehiredhimadozenmen-at-armstofollowhimwell-weaponedtoCheapingKnowe：
withalhecounselledhimtotakeagoodgiftwithhimtothatsametowntobuythegoodwilloftheKingthere；whowasaclose-fistandacruellord。
Afterwardstheysattogetherinthecourtofthatfairhousebeforegoodwine，RalphandUrsula，andRedheadandtheSageofSwevenham，andspakeofmanythings，andweremerryandkindtogether。
ButonthemorrowRedheaddepartedfromGoldburgwithhismen，andhelothtodepart，andtheygavehimfarewelllovingly。
ThereafterRalph’snewmencametohiminthehostelry，andhefeastedthemanddidwelltothem，sothattheypraisedhimmuch。
Thenhegathimvictualsandsumpter-horsesforthejourney，andboughtgoodstoreofbowsandarrowswithal。FurthermorehetookheedtoRedhead’swordandboughtagoodlygiftofsilvervesselandfineclothfortheKingofCheapingKnowe。
ThedayafterheandhiscompanydepartedfromGoldburgtowardthemountains，whichtheypassedunfoughtandunwaylaid：
partlybecausetheywereabandofstoutmen，andpartlybecausealittlebeforetherehadbeenagreatoverthrowofthewildmenofthosemountainsatthehandsofthemenofGoldburgandtheChapmen；sothatnowthemountain-menlayclose，andtroublednonethatrodewithanyforce。
OnthewaytheyfailednottopassbytheplacewheretheyhaderstfoundBullNosyslain：theretheysawhishowe，heapedupexceedinghigh，coveredinwithearth，whereonthegrasswasnowbeginningtogrow，andwithagreatstandingstoneonthetopthereof，whereonwasgraventheimageofabull，withaswordthereunder；