But on the morrow they arose betimes, and broke their fast on that woodland victual, and then went speedily down the mountain-side; and Hallblithe saw by the clear morning light that it was indeed the Uttermost House which he had seen across the green waste.  So he told the seekers; but they were silent and heeded nought, because of a fear that had come upon them, lest they should die before they came into that good land.  At the foot of the mountain they came upon a river, deep but not wide, with low grassy banks, and Hallblithe, who was an exceeding strong swimmer, helped the seekers over without much ado; and there they stood upon the grass of that goodly waste.
 
Hallblithe looked on them to note if any change should come over them, and he deemed that already they were become stronger and of more avail.  But he spake nought thereof, and strode on toward the Uttermost House, even as that other day he had stridden away from it.
 
Such diligence they made, that it was but little after noon when they came to the door thereof.  Then Hallblithe took the horn and blew upon it, while his fellows stood by murmuring, “It is the Land!  It is the Land!”
 
So came the Warden to the door, clad in red scarlet, and the elder went up to him and said: “Is this the Land?”
 
“What land?” said the Warden.
 
“Is it the Glittering Plain?” said the second of the seekers.
 
“Yea, forsooth,” said the Warden.  Said the sad man: “Will ye lead us to the King?
 
“Ye shall come to the King,” said the Warden.
 
“When, oh when?” cried they out all three.
 
“The morrow of to-morrow, maybe,” said the Warden.
 
“Oh! if to-morrow were but come!” they cried.
 
“It will come,” said the red man; “enter ye the house, and eat and drink and rest you.”
 
So they entered, and the Warden heeded Hallblithe nothing.  They ate and drank and then went to their rest, and Hallblithe lay in a shut-bed off from the hall, but the Warden brought the seekers otherwhere, so that Hallblithe saw them not after he had gone to bed; but as for him he slept and forgot that aught was.
 
In the morning when he awoke he felt very strong and well-liking; and he beheld his limbs that they were clear of skin and sleek and fair; and he heard one hard by in the hall carolling and singing joyously.  So he sprang from his bed with the wonder of sleep yet in him, and drew the curtains of the shut-bed and looked forth into the hall; and lo on the high-seat a man of thirty winters by seeming, tall, fair of fashion, with golden hair and eyes as grey as glass, proud and noble of aspect; and anigh him sat another man of like age to look on, a man strong and burly, with short curling brown hair and a red beard, and ruddy countenance, and the mien of a warrior.  Also, up and down the hall, paced a man younger of aspect than these two, tall and slender, black-haired and dark-eyed, amorous of countenance; he it was who was singing a snatch of song as he went lightly on the hall pavement: a snatch like to this
 
    Fair is the world, now autumn’s wearing,
    And the sluggard sun lies long abed;
    Sweet are the days, now winter’s nearing,
    And all winds feign that the wind is dead.
 
    Dumb is the hedge where the crabs hang yellow,
    Bright as the blossoms of the spring;
    Dumb is the close where the pears grow mellow,
    And none but the dauntless redbreasts sing.
 
    Fair was the spring, but amidst his greening
    Grey were the days of the hidden sun;
    Fair was the summer, but overweening,
    So soon his o’er-sweet days were done.
 
    Come then, love, for peace is upon us,
    Far off is failing, and far is fear,
    Here where the rest in the end hath won us,
    In the garnering tide of the happy year.
 
    Come from the grey old house by the water,
    Where, far from the lips of the hungry sea,
    Green groweth the grass o’er the field of the slaughter,
    And all is a tale for thee and me.
 
So Hallblithe did on his raiment and went into the hall; and when those three saw him they smiled upon him kindly and greeted him; and the noble man at the board said: “Thanks have thou, O Warrior of the Raven, for thy help in our need: thy reward from us shall not be lacking.”
 
Then the brown-haired man came up to him, and clapped him on the back and said to him: “Brisk man of the Raven, good is thy help at need; even so shall be mine to thee henceforward.”
 
But the young man stepped up to him lightly, and cast his arms about him, and kissed him, and said: “O friend and fellow, who knoweth but I may one day help thee as thou hast holpen me? though thou art one who by seeming mayst well help thyself.  And now mayst thou be as merry as I a............