onward　down　the　stony　slope。
  This　way　and　that　way　and　all　about　he　gazed；　straining　his　eyes　if
  perchance　he　might　see　any　diversity　in　the　stony　waste；　and　at　last
  betwixt　two　peaks　of　the　rock…wall　on　his　left　hand　he　descried　a
  streak　of　green　mingling　with　the　cold　blue　of　the　distance；　and　he
  thought　in　his　heart　that　this　was　the　last　he　should　see　of　the
  Glittering　Plain。　　Then　he　spake　aloud　in　that　desert；　and　said；
  though　there　was　none　to　hear：　　〃Now　is　my　last　hour　come；　and　here
  is　Hallblithe　of　the　Raven　perishing；　with　his　deeds　undone　and　his
  longing　unfulfilled；　and　his　bridal…bed　acold　for　ever。　　Long　may　the
  House　of　the　Raven　abide　and　flourish；　with　many　a　man　and　maiden；
  valiant　and　fair　and　fruitful！　　O　kindred；　cast　thy　blessing　on　this
  man　about　to　die　here；　doing　none　otherwise　than　ye　would　have　him！〃
  He　sat　there　a　little　while　longer；　and　then　he　said　to　himself：
  〃Death　tarries；　were　it　not　well　that　I　go　to　meet　him；　even　as　the
  cot…carle　preventeth　the　mighty　chieftain？〃
  Then　he　arose；　and　went　painfully　down　the　slope；　steadying　himself
  with　the　shaft　of　his　gleaming　spear；　but　all　at　once　he　stopped；　for
  it　seemed　to　him　that　he　heard　voices　borne　on　the　wind　that　blew　up
  the　mountain…side。　　But　he　shook　his　head　and　said：　　〃Now　forsooth
  beginneth　the　dream　which　shall　last　for　ever；　nowise　am　I　beguiled
  by　it。〃　　None　the　less　he　strove　the　more　eagerly　with　the　wind　and
  the　way　and　his　feebleness；　yet　did　the　weakness　wax　on　him；　so　that
  it　was　but　a　little　while　ere　he　faltered　and　reeled　and　fell　down
  once　more　in　a　swoon。
  When　he　came　to　himself　again　he　was　no　longer　alone：　　a　man　was
  kneeling　down　by　him　and　holding　up　his　head；　while　another　before
  him；　as　he　opened　his　eyes；　put　a　cup　of　wine　to　his　lips。　　So
  Hallblithe　drank　and　was　refreshed；　and　presently　they　gave　him
  bread；　and　he　ate；　and　his　heart　was　strengthened；　and　the　happiness
  of　life　returned　to　it；　and　he　lay　back；　and　slept　sweetly　for　a
  season。
  When　he　awoke　from　that　slumber　he　found　that　he　had　gotten　back　much
  of　his　strength　again；　and　he　sat　up　and　looked　around　him；　and　saw
  three　men　sitting　anigh；　armed　and　girt　with　swords；　yet　in　evil
  array；　and　sore　travel…worn。　　One　of　these　was　very　old；　with　long
  white　hair　hanging　down；　and　another；　though　he　was　not　so　much
  stricken　in　years；　still　looked　an　old　man　of　over　sixty　winters。
  The　third　was　a　man　some　forty　years　old；　but　sad　and　sorry　and
  drooping　of　aspect。
  So　when　they　saw　him　stirring；　they　all　fixed　their　eyes　upon　him；
  and　the　oldest　man　said：　　〃Welcome　to　him　who　erst　had　no　tidings　for
  us！〃　　And　the　second　said：　　〃Tell　us　now　thy　tidings。〃　　But　the
  third；　the　sorry　man；　cried　out　aloud；　saying：　　〃Where　is　the　Land？
  Where　is　the　Land？〃
  Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Meseemeth　the　land　which　ye　seek　is　the　land　which
  I　seek　to　flee　from。　　And　now　I　will　not　hide　that　meseemeth　I　have
  seen　you　before；　and　that　was　at　Cleveland　by　the　Sea　when　the　days
  were　happier。〃
  Then　they　all　three　bowed　their　heads　in　yea…say；　and　spake：　　〃'Where
  is　the　Land？　　Where　is　the　Land？〃
  Then　Hallblithe　arose　to　his　feet；　and　said：　　〃Ye　have　healed　me　of
  the　sickness　of　death；　and　I　will　do　what　I　may　to　heal　you　of　your
  sickness　of　sorrow。　　Come　up　the　pass　with　me；　and　I　will　show　you
  the　land　afar　off。〃
  Then　they　arose　like　young　and　brisk　men；　and　he　led　them　over　the
  brow　of　the　ridge　into　the　little　valley　wherein　he　had　first　come　to
  himself：　　there　he　showed　them　that　glimpse　of　a　green　land　betwixt
  the　two　peaks；　which　he　had　beheld　e'en　now；　and　they　stood　a　while
  looking　at　it　and　weeping　for　joy。
  Then　spake　the　oldest　of　the　seekers：　　〃Show　us　the　way　to　the　land。〃
  〃Nay；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃I　may　not；　for　when　I　would　depart　thence；　I
  might　not　go　by　mine　own　will；　but　was　borne　out　hither；　I　wot　not
  how。　　For　when　I　came　to　the　edge　of　the　land　against　the　will　of　the
  King；　he　smote　me；　and　then　cast　me　out。　　Therefore　since　I　may　not
  help　you；　find　ye　the　land　for　yourselves；　and　let　me　go　blessing
  you；　and　come　out　of　this　desert　by　the　way　whereby　ye　entered　it。
  For　I　have　an　errand　in　the　world。〃
  Spake　the　youngest　of　the　seekers：　　〃Now　art　thou　become　the　yoke…
  fellow　of　Sorrow；　and　thou　must　wend；　not　whither　thou　wouldst；　but
  whither　she　will：　　and　she　would　have　thee　go　forward　toward　life；
  not　backward　toward　death。〃
  Said　the　midmost　seeker：　　〃If　we　let　thee　go　further　into　the
  wilderness　thou　shalt　surely　die：　　for　hence　to　the　peopled　parts；
  and　the　City　of　Merchants；　whence　we　come；　is　a　month's　journey：　　and
  there　is　neither　meat　nor　drink；　nor　beast　nor　bird；　nor　any　green
  thing　all　that　way；　and　since　we　have　found　thee　famishing；　we　may
  well　deem　that　thou　hast　no　victual。　　As　to　us　we　have　but　little；　so
  that　if　it　be　much　more　than　three　days'　journey　to　the　Glittering
  Plain；　we　may　well　starve　and　die　within　sight　of　the　Acre　of　the
  Undying。　　Nevertheless　that　little　will　we　share　with　thee　if　thou
  wilt　help　us　to　find　that　good　land；　so　that　thou　mayst　yet　put　away
  Sorrow；　and　take　Joy　again　to　thy　board　and　bed。〃
  Hallblithe　hung　his　head　and　answered　nought；　for　he　was　confused　by
  the　meshes　of　ill…hap；　and　his　soul　grew　sick　with　the　bitterness　of
  death。　　But　the　sad　man　spake　again　and　said：　　〃Thou　hast　an　errand
  sayest　thou？　is　it　such　as　a　dead　man　may　do？〃
  Hallblithe　pondered；　and　amidst　the　anguish　of　his　despair　was　borne
  in　on　him　a　vision　of　the　sea…waves　lapping　the　side　of　a　black　ship；
  and　a　man　therein：　　who　but　himself；　set　free　to　do　his　errand；　and
  his　heart　was　quickened　within　him；　and　he　said：　　〃I　thank　you；　and　I
  will　wend　back　with　you；　since　there　is　no　road　for　me　save　back
  again　into　the　trap。〃
  The　three　seekers　seemed　glad　thereat；　and　the　second　one　said：
  〃Though　death　is　pursuing；　and　life　lieth　ahead；　yet　will　we　not
  hasten　thee　unduly。　　Time　was　when　I　was　Captain　of　the　Host；　and
  learned　how　battles　were　lost　by　lack　of　rest。　　Therefore　have　thy
  sleep　now；　that　thou　mayst　wax　in　strength　for　our　helping。〃
  Said　Hallblithe：　　〃I　need　not　rest；　I　may　not　rest；　I　will　not　rest。〃
  Said　the　sad　man：　　〃It　is　lawful　for　thee　to　rest。　　So　say　I；　who　was
  once　a　master　of　law。〃
  Said　the　long…hoary　elder：　　〃And　I　command　thee　to　rest；　I　who　was
  once　the　king　of　a　mighty　folk。〃
  In　sooth　Hallblithe　was　now　exceeding　weary；　so　he　laid　him　down　and
  slept　sweetly　in　the　stony　wilderness　amidst　those　three　seekers；　the
  old；　the　sad；　and　the　very　old。
  When　he　awoke　he　felt　well　and　strong　again；　and　he　leapt　to　his　feet
  and　looked　about　him；　and　saw　the　three　seekers　stirring；　and　he
  deemed　by　the　sun　that　it　was　early　morning。　　The　sad　man　brought
  forth　bread　and　water　and　wine；　and　they　broke　their　fast；　and　when
  they　had　done　he　spake　and　said：　　〃Abideth　now　in　wallet　and　bottle
  but　one　more　full　meal　for　us；　and　then　no　more　save　a　few　crumbs　and
  a　drop　or　two　of　wine　if　we　husband　it　well。〃
  Said　the　second　elder：　　〃Get　we　to　the　road；　then；　and　make　haste。　　I
  have　been　seeking；　and　meseemeth；　though　the　way　be　long；　it　is　not
  utterly　blind　for　us。　　Or　look　thou；　Raven…son；　is　there　not　a　path
  yonder　that　leadeth　onward　up　to　the　brow　of　the　ghyll　again？　and　as
  I　have　seen；　it　leadeth　on　again　down　from　the　said　brow。〃
  Forsooth　there　was　a　track　that　led　through　the　stony　tangle　of　the
  wilderness；　so　they　took　to　the　road　with　a　good　heart；　and　went　all
  day；　and　saw　no　living　thing；　and　not　a　blade　of　grass　or　a　trickle
  of　water：　　nought　save　the　wan　rocks　under　the　sun；　and　though　they
  trusted　in　their　road　that　it　led　them　aright；　they　saw　no　other
  glimpse　of　the　Glittering　Plain；　because　there　rose　a　great　ridge
  like　a　wall　on　the　north　side；　and　they　went　as　it　were　down　along　a
  trench　of　the　rocks；　albeit　it　was　whiles　broken　across　by　ghylls；
  and　knolls；　and　reefs。
  So　at　sunset　they　rested　and　ate　their　victual；　for　they　were　very
  weary；　and　thereafter　they　lay　down；　and　slept　as　soundly　as　if　they
  were　in　the　best　of　the　halls　of　men。　　On　the　morrow　betimes　they
  arose　soberly　and　went　their　ways　with　few　words；　and；　as　they
  deemed；　the　path　still　led　them　onward。　　And　now　the　great　ridge　on
  the　north　rose　steeper　and　steeper；　and　their　crossing　it　seemed　not
  to　be　thought　of；　but　their　half…blind　track　failed　them　not。　　They
  rested　at　even；　and　ate　and　drank　what　little　they　had　left；　save　a
  mouthful　or　two　of　wine；　and　then　went　on　again　by　the　light　of　the
  moon；　which　was　so　bright　that　they　still　saw　their　way。　　And　it
  happened　to　Hallblithe；　as　mostly　it　does　with　men　very　travel…worn；
  that　he　went　on　and　on　scarce　remembering　where　he　was；　or　who　his
  fellows　were；　or　that　he　had　any　fellows。
  So　at　midnight　they　lay　down　in　the　wilderness　again；　hungry　and
  weary。　　They　rose　at　dawn　and　went　forward　with　waning　hope：　　for　n