Moreover this is my thought, that all we of these parts should be milder
men and of better conditions, if yonder terrible wall were away.
It is as if we were thralls of the great mountains."
Said Ralph, "Is this then the Wall of the World?"
"It may well be so," said Otter; "but this word is at whiles said
of something else, which no man alive amongst us has yet seen.
It is a part of the tale of the seekers for the Well at
the World's End, whereof we said a word that other day."
"And the Dry Tree," said Ralph, "knowest thou thereof?" said Ralph.
"Such a tree, much beworshipped," said Otter, "we have,
not very far from Utterbol, on the hither side of the mountains.
Yet I have heard old men say that it is but a toy, and an image
of that which is verily anigh the Well at the World's End.
But now haste thee to do on thy raiment, for we must needs
get to horse in a little while." "Yet one more word,"
said Ralph; "thou sayest that none alive amongst you have
seen the Wall of the World?" "None alive," quoth Otter;
"forsooth what the dead may see, that is another question."
Said Ralph: "But have ye not known of any who have sought
to the Well from this land, which is so nigh thereunto?"
"Such there have been," said Otter; "but if they found it,
they found something beyond it, or came west again by some way
else than by Utterbol; for they never came back again to us."
Therewith he turned on his heel, and went his ways, and up came David
and one with him bringing victual; and David said: "Now, thou lucky one,
here is come thy breakfast! for we shall presently be on our way.
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