And they showed the wayfarers their manner of hunting, both of the hart
and the boar, and of wild bulls also. At first Ralph somewhat loathed
all this (though he kept a pleasant countenance toward his host),
for sorely he desired the fields of Upmeads and his father's house.
But at last when the hunt was up in the mountains, and especially of
the wild bulls, the heart and the might in him so arose that he enforced
himself to do well, and the wild men wondered at his prowess, whereas he was
untried in this manner of sports, and they deemed him one of the Gods,
and said that their kinsman had done well to get him so good a friend.
Both Ursula and the Sage withheld them from this hunting, and Ursula
abode with the women, who told her much of their ways of life,
and stories of old time; frank and free they were, and loved her much,
and she was fain of such manly-minded women after the sleight and lies
of the poor thralls of Utterbol.
On the fourth day the wayfarers made them ready and departed;
and the chief of the Folk went with them with a chosen
band of weaponed men, partly for the love of his guests,
and partly that he might see the Goldburg men-at-arms safe back
to the road unto the plain and the Midhouse of the Mountains,
for they went now by other ways, which missed the said House.
On this journey naught befell to tell of, and they all came
down safe into the plain.
There the Goldburg men took their wage, and bidding farewell, turned back
with the wild men, praising Ralph much for his frankness and open hand.
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