If all tales be true thou art best this side thereof, whatever thy lot may be." "Lieth death on the other side then ?" quoth Ralph.

"Yea," said David, "but that is not all, since he is not asleep elsewhere in the world: but men say that over there are things to be seen which might slay a strong man for pure fear, without stroke of sword or dint of axe." "Yea," said Ralph, "but how was it then with him that builded Goldburg ?" "O," said David, "hast thou heard that tale?
Well, they say of him, who certes went over those mountains, and drank of the Well at the World's End, that he was one of the lucky: yet for all his luck never had he drunk the draught had he not been helped by one who had learned many things, a woman to wit.

For he was one of them with whom all women are in love; and thence indeed was his luck....Moreover, when all is said, 'tis but a tale." "Yea," quoth Ralph laughing, "even as the tales of the ghosts and bugs that abide the wayfarer on the other side of yonder white moveless cloud." David laughed in his turn and said: "Thou hast me there; and whether or no, these tales are nothing to us, who shall never leave Utterbol again while we live, save in such a company as this." Then he held his peace, but presently spake again: "Hast thou heard anything, then, of those tales of the Well at the World's End?
I mean others beside that concerning the lord of Goldburg ?" "Yea, surely I have," said Ralph, nowise changing countenance.

Said David: "Deemest thou aught of them?
deemest thou that it may be true that a man may drink of the Well and recover his youth thereby ?" Ralph laughed and said: "Master, it is rather for me to ask thee hereof, than thou me, since thou dwellest so much nigher thereto than I have done heretofore." David drew up close to him, and said softly: "Nigher?
Yea, but belike not so much nigher." "How meanest thou ?" said Ralph.
Said David: "Is it so nigh that a man may leave home and come thereto in his life-time ?" "Yea," said Ralph, "in my tales it is." Said the old man still softlier: "Had I deemed that true I had tried the adventure, whatever might lie beyond the mountains, but (and he sighed withal) I deem it untrue." Therewith dropped the talk of that matter: and in sooth Ralph was loath to make many words thereof, lest his eagerness shine through, and all the story of him be known.
Anon it was noon, and the lord bade all men stay for meat: so his serving men busied them about his dinner, and David went with them.
Then the men-at-arms bade Ralph sit among them and share their meat.
So they sat down all by the wayside, and they spake kindly and friendly to Ralph, and especially their captain, a man somewhat low of stature, but long-armed like the Lord, a man of middle age, beardless and spare of body, but wiry and tough-looking, with hair of the hue of the dust of the sandstone quarry.

This man fell a-talking with Ralph, and asked him of the manner of tilting and courteous jousting between knights in the countries of knighthood, till that talk dropped between them.