Chapter 7 Summary

Anodos finally decides to leave the cave, but when he exits there is no sign of his savior. As he walks along, Anodos tries to understand why, despite the ugliness of the woman, he still finds her beautiful. Unable to reach any satisfying conclusions, Anodos turns to considering the person who saved him. He wonders if it was the errant knight.

Late in the afternoon Anodos comes upon a farm-house at the forest's edge and a matronly woman. The woman has met other men emerging from the woods who are shook up after an evening spent with the Maiden of the Alder. The woman is a believer in the fantastic nature of the forest, but her husband is a practical man who makes Anodos almost forget there is a Fairy Land. Anodos spends the evening listening to the family discuss the truth of...