The Well at the World's End

William Morris

Description

The youngest son of King Peter, leaves his family home to explore the world, meet new people, and discover the Well at the World’s End. It’s an unconventional hero’s journey that takes the protagonist on a life-changing adventure.

King Peter has four sons, all of whom are eager to leave home. He allows three of them to travel the world but forces his youngest boy, Ralph, to stay. Despite his father’s ruling, Ralph sets out on his own adventure without his family’s blessing. While on the road, he encounters exciting and unusual characters, including the Lady of Abundance and the maiden Ursula. When he learns of the powerful Well at the World’s End, his journey takes a sudden and unexpected turn.

The Well at the World’s End is full of distinct characters and vivid imagery. William Morris weaves a fantastical tale driven by curiosity and romance. This story is a standout within its genre and among Morris’ impressive catalog.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Well at the World’s End is both modern and readable.

Sujets

• Fantastique
• Epic Fantasy
• Fantasy (canción de Mariah Carey)
• Classics
• Fiction
• Fantasy

Informations

• Publié par: Mint Editions
• Date de parution: 16 février 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781513273488
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Well at the World’s End
William Morris
 
The Well at the World’s End was first published in 1896.
This edition published by Mint Editions 2021.
ISBN 9781513268484 | E-ISBN 9781513273488
Published by Mint Editions®
minteditionbooks.com
Publishing Director: Jennifer Newens
Design & Production: Rachel Lopez Metzger
Project Manager: Micaela Clark
Typesetting: Westchester Publishing Services
 
C ONTENTS B OOK O NE— T HE R OAD U NTO L OVE 1. T HE S UNDERING OF THE W AYS 2. R ALPH G OETH B ACK H OME TO THE H IGH H OUSE 3. R ALPH C OMETH TO THE C HEAPING- T OWN 4. R ALPH R IDETH THE D OWNS 5. R ALPH C OMETH TO H IGHAM-ON-THE- W AY 6. R ALPH G OETH H IS W AYS F ROM THE A BBEY OF S T. M ARY AT H IGHAM 7. T HE M AIDEN OF B OURTON A BBAS 8. R ALPH C OMETH TO THE W OOD P ERILOUS. A N A DVENTURE T HEREIN 9. A NOTHER A DVENTURE IN THE W OOD P ERILOUS 10. A M EETING AND A P ARTING IN THE W OOD P ERILOUS 11. N OW M UST R ALPH R IDE F OR I T 12. R ALPH E NTERETH I NTO THE B URG OF THE F OUR F RITHS 13. T HE S TREETS OF THE B URG OF THE F OUR F RITHS 14. W HAT R ALPH H EARD OF THE M ATTERS OF THE B URG OF THE F OUR F RITHS 15. H OW R ALPH D EPARTED F ROM THE B URG OF THE F OUR F RITHS 16. R ALPH R IDETH THE W OOD P ERILOUS A GAIN 17. R ALPH C OMETH TO THE H OUSE OF A BUNDANCE 18. O F R ALPH IN THE C ASTLE OF A BUNDANCE 19. R ALPH R EADETH IN A B OOK C ONCERNING THE W ELL AT THE W ORLD’S E ND 20. R ALPH M EETETH A M AN IN THE W OOD 21. R ALPH W EARETH A WAY T HREE D AYS U NEASILY 22. A N A DVENTURE IN THE W OOD 23. T HE L EECHCRAFT OF THE L ADY 24. S UPPER AND S LUMBER IN THE W OODLAND H ALL B OOK T WO— T HE R OAD U NTO T ROUBLE 1. R ALPH M EETS W ITH L OVE IN THE W ILDERNESS 2. T HEY B REAK T HEIR F AST IN THE W ILDWOOD 3. T HE L ADY T ELLETH R ALPH OF THE P AST D AYS OF H ER L IFE 4. T HE L ADY T ELLS OF H ER D ELIVERANCE 5. Y ET M ORE OF THE L ADY’S S TORY 6. T HE L ADY T ELLS S OMEWHAT OF H ER D OINGS A FTER S HE L EFT THE W ILDERNESS 7. T HE L ADY T ELLS OF THE S TRIFE AND T ROUBLE T HAT B EFELL A FTER H ER C OMING TO THE C OUNTRY OF THE K ING’S S ON 8. T HE L ADY M AKETH AN E ND OF H ER T ALE 9. T HEY G O O N T HEIR W AY O NCE M ORE 10. O F THE D ESERT- H OUSE AND THE C HAMBER OF L OVE IN THE W ILDERNESS 11. R ALPH C OMETH O UT OF THE W ILDERNESS 12. R ALPH F ALLETH IN W ITH F RIENDS AND R IDETH TO W HITWALL 13. R ICHARD T ALKETH W ITH R ALPH C ONCERNING THE W ELL AT THE W ORLD’S E ND. C ONCERNING S WEVENHAM 14. R ALPH F ALLETH IN W ITH A NOTHER O LD F RIEND 15. R ALPH D REAMS A D REAM O R S EES A V ISION 16. O F THE T ALES OF S WEVENHAM 17. R ICHARD B RINGETH T IDINGS OF D EPARTING 18. R ALPH D EPARTETH F ROM W HITWALL W ITH THE F ELLOWSHIP OF C LEMENT C HAPMAN 19. M ASTER C LEMENT T ELLS R ALPH C ONCERNING THE L ANDS W HEREUNTO T HEY W ERE R IDING 20. T HEY C OME TO THE M ID- M OUNTAIN G UEST- H OUSE 21. A B ATTLE IN THE M OUNTAINS 22. R ALPH T ALKS W ITH B ULL S HOCKHEAD 23. O F THE T OWN OF C HEAPING K NOWE 24. R ALPH H EARETH M ORE T IDINGS OF THE D AMSEL 25. T HE F ELLOWSHIP C OMES TO W HITENESS 26. T HEY R IDE THE M OUNTAINS T OWARD G OLDBURG 27. C LEMENT T ELLS OF G OLDBURG 28. N OW T HEY C OME TO G OLDBURG 29. O F G OLDBURG AND THE Q UEEN T HEREOF 30. R ALPH H ATH H OPE OF T IDINGS C ONCERNING THE W ELL AT THE W ORLD’S E ND 31. T HE B EGINNING OF THE R OAD T O U TTERBOL 32. R ALPH H APPENS ON E VIL D AYS 33. R ALPH IS B ROUGHT ON THE R OAD T OWARDS U TTERBOL 34. T HE L ORD OF U TTERBOL W ILL W OT OF R ALPH’S M IGHT AND M INSTRELSY 35. R ALPH C OMETH T O THE V ALE OF THE T OWER 36. T HE T ALK OF T WO W OMEN C ONCERNING R ALPH 37. H OW R ALPH J USTED W ITH THE A LIENS 38. A F RIEND G IVES R ALPH W ARNING 39. T HE L ORD OF U TTERBOL M AKES R ALPH A F REE M AN 40. T HEY R IDE T OWARD U TTERNESS F ROM O UT OF V ALE T URRIS 41. R EDHEAD K EEPS T RYST B OOK T HREE— T HE R OAD T O T HE W ELL A T W ORLD’S E ND 1. A N A DVENTURE IN THE W OOD U NDER THE M OUNTAINS 2. R ALPH R IDES THE W OOD U NDER THE M OUNTAINS 3. R ALPH M EETETH W ITH A NOTHER A DVENTURE IN THE W OOD U NDER THE M OUNTAIN 4. T HEY R IDE THE W OOD U NDER THE M OUNTAINS 5. T HEY C OME ON THE S AGE OF S WEVENHAM 6. T HOSE T WO A RE L EARNED L ORE BY THE S AGE OF S WEVENHAM 7. A N A DVENTURE BY THE W AY 8. T HEY C OME TO THE S EA OF M OLTEN R OCKS 9. T HEY C OME F ORTH F ROM THE R OCK- S EA 10. T HEY C OME TO THE G ATE OF THE M OUNTAINS 11. T HEY C OME TO THE V ALE OF S WEET C HESTNUTS 12. W INTER A MIDST OF THE M OUNTAINS 13. O F U RSULA AND THE B EAR 14. N OW C OME THE M ESSENGERS OF THE I NNOCENT F OLK 15. T HEY C OME TO THE L AND OF THE I NNOCENT F OLK 16. T HEY C OME TO THE H OUSE OF THE S ORCERESS 17. T HEY C OME T HROUGH THE W OODLAND TO THE T HIRSTY D ESERT 18. T HEY C OME TO THE D RY T REE 19. T HEY C OME O UT OF THE T HIRSTY D ESERT 20. T HEY C OME TO THE O CEAN S EA 21. N OW T HEY D RINK OF THE W ELL AT THE W ORLD’S E ND 22. N OW T HEY H AVE D RUNK AND A RE G LAD B OOK F OUR— T HE R OAD H OME 1. R ALPH AND U RSULA C OME B ACK A GAIN T HROUGH THE G REAT M OUNTAINS 2. T HEY H EAR N EW T IDINGS OF U TTERBOL 3. T HEY W INTER W ITH THE S AGE; AND T HEREAFTER C OME A GAIN TO V ALE T URRIS 4. A F EAST IN THE R ED P AVILION 5. B ULL T ELLETH OF H IS W INNING OF THE L ORDSHIP OF U TTERBOL 6. T HEY R IDE F ROM V ALE T URRIS. R EDHEAD T ELLS OF A GATHA 7. O F T HEIR R IDING THE W ASTE, AND OF A B ATTLE T HEREON 8. O F G OLDBURG A GAIN, AND THE Q UEEN T HEREOF 9. T HEY C OME TO C HEAPING K NOWE O NCE M ORE O F THE K ING T HEREOF 10. A N A DVENTURE ON THE W AY TO THE M OUNTAINS 11. T HEY C OME T HROUGH THE M OUNTAINS I NTO THE P LAIN 12. T HE R OADS S UNDER A GAIN 13. T HEY C OME TO W HITWALL A GAIN 14. T HEY R IDE A WAY F ROM W HITWALL 15. A S TRANGE M EETING IN THE W ILDERNESS 16. T HEY C OME TO THE C ASTLE OF A BUNDANCE O NCE M ORE 17. T HEY F ALL IN W ITH T HAT H ERMIT 18. A C HANGE OF D AYS IN THE B URG OF THE F OUR F RITHS 19. R ALPH S EES H AMPTON AND THE S CAUR 20. T HEY C OME TO THE G ATE OF H IGHAM B Y THE W AY 21. T ALK B ETWEEN T HOSE T WO B RETHREN 22. A N O LD A CQUAINTANCE C OMES F ROM THE D OWN C OUNTRY TO S EE R ALPH 23. T HEY R IDE TO B EAR C ASTLE 24. T HE F OLKMOTE OF THE S HEPHERDS 25. T HEY C OME TO W ULSTEAD 26. R ALPH S EES H IS F ATHER AND M OTHER A GAIN 27. R ALPH H OLDS C ONVERSE W ITH K ATHERINE H IS G OSSIP 28. D AME K ATHERINE T ELLS OF THE P AIR OF B EADS, AND W HENCE S HE H AD T HEM 29. T HEY G O D OWN TO B ATTLE IN U PMEADS 30. R ALPH B RINGS H IS F ATHER AND M OTHER TO U PMEADS 31. R ALPH B RINGS U RSULA H OME TO THE H IGH H OUSE 32. Y ET A F EW W ORDS C ONCERNING R ALPH OF U PMEADS
 
BOOK ONE
THE ROAD UNTO LOVE
 
Chapter 1
T HE S UNDERING OF THE W AYS
L ong ago there was a little land, over which ruled a regulus or kinglet, who was called King Peter, though his kingdom was but little. He had four sons whose names were Blaise, Hugh, Gregory and Ralph: of these Ralph was the youngest, whereas he was but of twenty winters and one; and Blaise was the oldest and had seen thirty winters.
Now it came to this at last, that to these young men the kingdom of their father seemed strait; and they longed to see the ways of other men, and to strive for life. For though they were king’s sons, they had but little world’s wealth; save and except good meat and drink, and enough or too much thereof; house-room of the best; friends to be merry with, and maidens to kiss, and these also as good as might be; freedom withal to come and go as they would; the heavens above them, the earth to bear them up, and the meadows and acres, the woods and fair streams, and the little hills of Upmeads, for that was the name of their country and the kingdom of King Peter.
So having nought but this little they longed for much; and that the more because, king’s sons as they were, they had but scant dominion save over their horses and dogs: for the men of that country were stubborn and sturdy vavassors, and might not away with masterful doings, but were like to pay back a blow with a blow, and a foul word with a buffet. So that, all things considered, it was little wonder if King Peter’s sons found themselves straitened in their little land: wherein was no great merchant city; no mighty castle, or noble abbey of monks: nought but fair little halls of yeomen, with here and there a franklin’s court or a shield-knight’s manor-house; with many a goodly church, and whiles a house of good canons, who knew not the road to Rome, nor how to find the door of the Chancellor’s house.
So these young men wearied their father and mother a long while with telling them of their weariness, and their longing to be gone: till at last on a fair and hot afternoon of June King Peter rose up from the carpet which the Prior of St. John’s by the Bridge had given him (for he had been sleeping thereon amidst the grass of his orchard after his dinner) and he went into the hall of his house, which was called the High House of Upmeads, and sent for his four sons to come to him. And they came and stood before his high-seat and he said:
“Sons, ye have long wearied me with words concerning your longing for travel on the roads; now if ye verily wish to be gone, tell me when would ye take your departure if ye had your choice?”
They looked at one another, and the three younger ones nodded at Blaise the eldest: so he began, and said: “Saving the love and honour that we have for thee, and also for our mother, we would be gone at once, even with the noon’s meat still in our bellies. But thou art the lord in this land, and thou must rule. Have I said well, brethren?” And they all said “Yea, yea.” Then said the king; “Good! now is the sun high and hot; yet if ye ride softly ye may come to some good harbour before nightfall without foundering your horses. So come ye in an hour’s space to the Four-want-way, and there and then will I order your departure.”
The young men were full of joy when they heard his word; and they departed and went this way and that, gathering such