“‘All’ is a big word,” said Ralph, “but I will tell thee somewhat.  Yet I bid thee take note that I and this ancient wise one, and my Lady withal, deem that I am drawn by my kindred to come to their help, and that time presses.”

Roger scowled somewhat on Ursula; but he said:  “Lord and master, let not that fly trouble thy lip.  For so I deem of it, that whatsoever time ye may lose by falling in with me, ye may gain twice as much again by hearkening my tale and the rede that shall go with it.  And I do thee to wit that the telling of thy tale shall unfreeze mine; so tarry not, if ye be in haste to be gone, but let thy tongue wag.”

Ralph smiled, and without more ado told him all that had befallen him; and of Swevenham and Utterbol, and of his captivity and flight; and of the meeting in the wood, and of the Sage (who there was), and of the journey to the Well, and what betid there and since, and of the death of the Champion of the Dry Tree.

But when he had made an end, Roger said:  “There it is, then, as I said when she first spake to me of thee and bade me bring about that meeting with her, drawing thee first to the Burg and after to the Castle of Abundance, I have forgotten mostly by what lies; but I said to her that she had set her heart on a man over lucky, and that thou wouldst take her luck from her and make it thine.  But now I will let all that pass, and will bid thee ask what thou wilt; and I promise thee that I will help thee to come thy ways to thy kindred, that thou mayst put forth thy luck in their behalf.”

Said Ralph:  “First of all, tell me what shall I do to pass unhindered through the Burg of the Four Friths?” Said Roger:  “Thou shalt go in at one gate and out at the other, and none shall hinder thee.”

Said Ralph:  “And shall I have any hindrance from them of the Dry Tree?”

Roger made as if he were swallowing down something, and answered:  “Nay, none.”

“And the folk of Higham by the Way, and the Brethren and their Abbot?” said Ralph.

“I know but little of them,” quoth Roger, “but I deem that they will make a push to have thee for captain; because they have had war on their hands of late.  But this shall be at thine own will to say yea or nay to them.  But for the rest on this side of the shepherds’ country ye will pass by peaceful folk.”

“Yea,” said Ralph, “what then hath become of the pride and cruelty of the Burg of the Four Friths, and the eagerness and fierceness of the Dry Tree?”

Quoth Roger:  “This is the tale of it:  After the champions of the Dry Tree had lost their queen and beloved, the Lady of Abundance, they were both restless and fierce, for the days of sorrow hung heavy on their hands.  So on a time a great company of them had ado with the Burgers somewhat recklessly and came to the worse; wherefore some drew back into their fastness of the Scaur and the others still rode on, and further west than their wont had been; but