Well at the World's End

William Morris

Description

Credited with inspiring such fantasy luminaries as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, William Morris' The Well at the World's End follows the travels of a prince, Ralph of Upmeads, who undertakes a journey to find the magical well of the title. Along the way, our hero encounters adventure, travails, and romance. A must-read for fans of classic quest stories.

Sujets

• Fantasy (canción de Mariah Carey)
• Fantasy

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 novembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781775419846
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE WELL AT THE WORLD'S END
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WILLIAM MORRIS
 
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The Well at the World's End First published in 1896 ISBN 978-1-775419-84-6 © 2010 The Floating Press
While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike.
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Contents
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BOOK ONE - THE ROAD UNTO LOVE Chapter 1 - The Sundering of the Ways Chapter 2 - Ralph Goeth Back Home to the High House Chapter 3 - Ralph Cometh to the Cheaping-Town Chapter 4 - Ralph Rideth the Downs Chapter 5 - Ralph Cometh to Higham-on-the-Way Chapter 6 - Ralph Goeth His Ways From the Abbey of St. Mary at Higham Chapter 7 - The Maiden of Bourton Abbas Chapter 8 - Ralph Cometh to the Wood Perilous. An Adventure Therein Chapter 9 - Another Adventure in the Wood Perilous Chapter 10 - A Meeting and a Parting in the Wood Perilous Chapter 11 - Now Must Ralph Ride For It Chapter 12 - Ralph Entereth Into the Burg of the Four Friths Chapter 13 - The Streets of the Burg of the Four Friths Chapter 14 - What Ralph Heard of the Matters of the Burg of the Four Friths Chapter 15 - How Ralph Departed From the Burg of the Four Friths Chapter 16 - Ralph Rideth the Wood Perilous Again Chapter 17 - Ralph Cometh to the House of Abundance Chapter 18 - Of Ralph in the Castle of Abundance Chapter 19 - Ralph Readeth in a Book Concerning the Well at the World's End Chapter 20 - Ralph Meeteth a Man in the Wood Chapter 21 - Ralph Weareth Away Three Days Uneasily Chapter 22 - An Adventure in the Wood Chapter 23 - The Leechcraft of the Lady Chapter 24 - Supper and Slumber in the Woodland Hall BOOK TWO - THE ROAD UNTO TROUBLE Chapter 1 - Ralph Meets With Love in the Wilderness Chapter 2 - They Break Their Fast in the Wildwood Chapter 3 - The Lady Telleth Ralph of the Past Days of Her Life Chapter 4 - The Lady Tells of Her Deliverance Chapter 5 - Yet More of the Lady's Story Chapter 6 - The Lady Tells Somewhat of Her Doings After She Left the Wilderness Chapter 7 - The Lady Tells of the Strife and Trouble That Befell After Her Comingto the Country of the King's Son Chapter 8 - The Lady Maketh an End of Her Tale Chapter 9 - They Go On Their Way Once More Chapter 10 - Of the Desert-House and the Chamber of Love in the Wilderness Chapter 11 - Ralph Cometh Out of the Wilderness Chapter 12 - Ralph Falleth in With Friends and Rideth to Whitwall Chapter 13 - Richard Talketh With Ralph Concerning the Well at the World's End.Concerning Swevenham Chapter 14 - Ralph Falleth in With Another Old Friend Chapter 15 - Ralph Dreams a Dream Or Sees a Vision Chapter 16 - Of the Tales of Swevenham Chapter 17 - Richard Bringeth Tidings of Departing Chapter 18 - Ralph Departeth From Whitwall With the Fellowship of Clement Chapman Chapter 19 - Master Clement Tells Ralph Concerning the Lands Whereunto They WereRiding Chapter 20 - They Come to the Mid-Mountain Guest-House Chapter 21 - A Battle in the Mountains Chapter 22 - Ralph Talks With Bull Shockhead Chapter 23 - Of the Town of Cheaping Knowe Chapter 24 - Ralph Heareth More Tidings of the Damsel Chapter 25 - The Fellowship Comes to Whiteness Chapter 26 - They Ride the Mountains Toward Goldburg Chapter 27 - Clement Tells of Goldburg Chapter 28 - Now They Come to Goldburg Chapter 29 - Of Goldburg and the Queen Thereof Chapter 30 - Ralph Hath Hope of Tidings Concerning the Well at the World's End Chapter 31 - The Beginning of the Road To Utterbol Chapter 32 - Ralph Happens on Evil Days Chapter 33 - Ralph is Brought on the Road Towards Utterbol Chapter 34 - The Lord of Utterbol Will Wot of Ralph's Might and Minstrelsy Chapter 35 - Ralph Cometh To the Vale of the Tower Chapter 36 - The Talk of Two Women Concerning Ralph Chapter 37 - How Ralph Justed With the Aliens Chapter 38 - A Friend Gives Ralph Warning Chapter 39 - The Lord of Utterbol Makes Ralph a Free Man Chapter 40 - They Ride Toward Utterness From Out of Vale Turris Chapter 41 - Redhead Keeps Tryst BOOK THREE - THE ROAD TO THE WELL AT WORLD'S END Chapter 1 - An Adventure in the Wood Under the Mountains Chapter 2 - Ralph Rides the Wood Under the Mountains Chapter 3 - Ralph Meeteth With Another Adventure in the Wood Under the Mountain Chapter 4 - They Ride the Wood Under the Mountains Chapter 5 - They Come on the Sage of Swevenham Chapter 6 - Those Two Are Learned Lore by the Sage of Swevenham Chapter 7 - An Adventure by the Way Chapter 8 - They Come to the Sea of Molten Rocks Chapter 9 - They Come Forth From the Rock-Sea Chapter 10 - They Come to the Gate of the Mountains Chapter 11 - They Come to the Vale of Sweet Chestnuts Chapter 12 - Winter Amidst of the Mountains Chapter 13 - Of Ursula and the Bear Chapter 14 - Now Come the Messengers of the Innocent Folk Chapter 15 - They Come to the Land of the Innocent Folk Chapter 16 - They Come to the House of the Sorceress Chapter 17 - They Come Through the Woodland to the Thirsty Desert Chapter 18 - They Come to the Dry Tree Chapter 19 - They Come Out of the Thirsty Desert Chapter 20 - They Come to the Ocean Sea Chapter 21 - Now They Drink of the Well at the World's End Chapter 22 - Now They Have Drunk and Are Glad BOOK FOUR - THE ROAD HOME Chapter 1 - Ralph and Ursula Come Back Again Through the Great Mountains Chapter 2 - They Hear New Tidings of Utterbol Chapter 3 - They Winter With the Sage; and Thereafter Come Again to Vale Turris Chapter 4 - A Feast in the Red Pavilion Chapter 5 - Bull Telleth of His Winning of the Lordship of Utterbol Chapter 6 - They Ride From Vale Turris. Redhead Tells of Agatha Chapter 7 - Of Their Riding the Waste, and of a Battle Thereon Chapter 8 - Of Goldburg Again, and the Queen Thereof Chapter 9 - They Come to Cheaping Knowe Once More. Of the King Thereof Chapter 10 - An Adventure on the Way to the Mountains Chapter 11 - They Come Through the Mountains Into the Plain Chapter 12 - The Roads Sunder Again Chapter 13 - They Come to Whitwall Again Chapter 14 - They Ride Away From Whitwall Chapter 15 - A Strange Meeting in the Wilderness Chapter 16 - They Come to the Castle of Abundance Once More Chapter 17 - They Fall in With That Hermit Chapter 18 - A Change of Days in the Burg of the Four Friths Chapter 19 - Ralph Sees Hampton and the Scaur Chapter 20 - They Come to the Gate of Higham By the Way Chapter 21 - Talk Between Those Two Brethren Chapter 22 - An Old Acquaintance Comes From the Down Country to See Ralph Chapter 23 - They Ride to Bear Castle Chapter 24 - The Folkmote of the Shepherds Chapter 25 - They Come to Wulstead Chapter 26 - Ralph Sees His Father and Mother Again Chapter 27 - Ralph Holds Converse With Katherine His Gossip Chapter 28 - Dame Katherine Tells of the Pair of Beads, and Whence She Had Them Chapter 29 - They Go Down to Battle in Upmeads Chapter 30 - Ralph Brings His Father and Mother to Upmeads Chapter 31 - Ralph Brings Ursula Home to the High House Chapter 32 - Yet a Few Words Concerning Ralph of Upmeads
BOOK ONE - THE ROAD UNTO LOVE
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Chapter 1 - The Sundering of the Ways
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Long ago there was a little land, over which ruled a regulus orkinglet, who was called King Peter, though his kingdom was but little.He had four sons whose names were Blaise, Hugh, Gregory and Ralph: ofthese Ralph was the youngest, whereas he was but of twenty winters andone; and Blaise was the oldest and had seen thirty winters.
Now it came to this at last, that to these young men the kingdom oftheir father seemed strait; and they longed to see the ways of othermen, and to strive for life. For though they were king's sons, theyhad but little world's wealth; save and except good meat and drink, andenough or too much thereof; house-room of the best; friends to be merrywith, and maidens to kiss, and these also as good as might be; freedomwithal to come and go as they would; the heavens above them, the earthto 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 countryand the kingdom of King Peter.
So having nought but this little they longed for much; and that themore because, king's sons as they were, they had but scant dominionsave over their horses and dogs: for the men of that country werestubborn and sturdy vavassors, and might not away with masterfuldoings, but were like to pay back a blow with a blow, and a foul wordwith a buffet. So that, all things considered, it was little wonder ifKing Peter's sons found themselves straitened in their little land:wherein was no great merchant city; no mighty castle, or noble abbey ofmonks: nought but fair little halls of yeomen, with here and there afranklin's court or a shield-knight's manor-house; with many a goodlychurch, and whiles a house of good canons, who knew not the road toRome, nor how to find the door of the Chancellor's house.
So these young men wearied their father and mother a long while withtelling them of their weariness, and their longing to be gone: till atlast on a fair and hot afternoon of June King Peter rose up from thecarpet which the Prior of St. John's by the Bridge had given him (forhe had been sleeping thereon amidst the grass of his orchard after hisdinner) and he went into the hall of his house, which was called theHigh House of Upmeads, and sent for his four sons to come to him. Andthey came and stood before his high-seat and he said:
"Sons, ye have long wearied me with words concerning your longing fortravel on the roads; now if ye verily wish to be gone, tell me whenwould ye take your departure if ye had your choice?"
They looked at one another, and the three younger ones nodded at Blaisethe eldest: so he began, an