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Previous  Next     Ralph Rides the Wood Under the Mountains  A
long way now rode Ralph, and naught befell him but the fashion
of the wood. And as he rode, the heart within him was lightened
that he had escaped from all the confusion and the lying of
those aliens, who knew him not, nor his kindred, and yet would
all use him each for his own ends: and withal he was glad that
he was riding all alone upon his quest, but free, unwounded, and
well weaponed.  The wood was not very thick whereas he rode, so
that he could see the whereabouts of the sun, and rode east as
far as he could judge it. Some little victual he had with him,
and he found woodland fruit ripening here and there, and eked
out his bread therewith; neither did water fail him, for he rode
a good way up along a woodland stream that cleft the thicket,
coming down as he deemed from the mountains, and thereby he made
the more way:  but at last he deemed that he must needs leave
it, as it turned over