“Yea, fool,” cried Ralph, “and what wilt thou do with these two?”

Said the King:  “The traitor I will flay, and the woman I will bed.”

Scarce were the words out of his mouth ere Ralph gave forth a great cry and drew his sword, set spurs to his horse, and gallopped on up the road with all his band at his back for they had drawn anigh amidst this talk.  But or ever they came on the foemen, they heard a great confused cry of onset mingled with affright, and lo! the King threw up his arms, and fell forward on his horse’s neck with a great arrow through his throat.

Ralph drave on sword in hand, crying out, “Home, home to Upmeads!” and anon was amidst of the foe smiting on either hand.  His men followed, shouting:  “Ho, for the Friend of the Well!” And amongst the foemen, who were indeed very many, was huge dismay, so that they made but a sorry defence before the band of the wayfarers, who knew not what to make of it, till they noted that arrows and casting-spears were coming out of the wood on either side, which smote none of them, but many of the foemen.  Short was the tale, for in a few minutes there were no men of the foe together save those that were fleeing down the road to Cheaping Knowe.

Ralph would not suffer his men to follow the chase, for he wotted not with whom he might have to deal besides the King’s men.  He drew his men together and looked round for Ursula, and saw that the Sage had brought her up anigh him, and there she sat a-horseback, pale and panting with the fear of death and joy of deliverance.

Now Ralph cried out from his saddle in a loud voice, and said:  “Ho ye of the arrows of the wood! ye have saved me from my foemen; where be ye, and what be ye?” Came a loud voice from out of the wood on the right hand:  “Children, tell the warrior whose sons ye be!” Straightway brake out a huge bellowing on either side of the road, as though the wood were all full of great neat.

Then cried out Ralph:  “If ye be of the kindred of the Bull, ye will belike be my friends rather than my foes.  Or have ye heard tell of Ralph of Upmeads?  Now let your captain come forth and speak with me.”

Scarce were the words out of his mouth ere a man came leaping forth from out the wood, and stood before Ralph in the twilight of the boughs, and Ralph noted of him that he was clad pretty much like to Bull Shockhead of past time, save that he had a great bull’s head for a helm (which afterwards Ralph found out was of iron and leather) and a great gold ring on his arm.

Then Ralph thrust his sword back into the sheath, and his folk handled their weapons peaceably, while Ralph hailed the new-comer as Lord or Duke of the Bulls.

“Belike,” quoth the said chieftain, “thou wouldst wish to show me some token, whereby we may wot that thou art that Friend of the Well and of our kinsman concerning whom he sent us a message.”