allmeans
!
"
he
answered
.
"
Mount
,
and
ride
him
home
.
"
The
horse
bent
his
head
over
my
shoulder
lovingly
.
I
twisted
my
hands
in
his
mane
and
scrambled
onto
his
back
,
not
without
aid
from
certain
protuberant
bones
.
"
He
would
outspeed
any
leopard
in
creation
!
"
I
cried
.
"
Not
that
way
at
night
,
"
answered
the
raven
;
"
the
road
is
difficult
.
—
But
come
;
loss
now
will
be
gain
then
!
To
wait
is
harder
than
to
run
,
and
its
meed
is
the
fuller
.
Go
on
,
my
son
—
straight
to
the
cottage
.
I
shall
be
there
as
soon
as
you
.
It
will
rejoice
my
wife
's
heart
to
see
son
of
hers
on
that
horse
!
"
I
sat
silent
.
The
horse
stood
like
a
block
of
marble
.
"
Why
do
you
linger
?
"
asked
the
raven
.
"
I
long
so
much
to
ride
after
the
leopardess
,
"
I
answered
,
"
that
I
can
scarce
restrain
myself
!
"
"
You
have
promised
!
"
"
My
debt
to
the
Little
Ones
appears
,
I
confess
,
a
greater
thing
than
my
bond
to
you
.
"
"
Yield
to
the
temptation
and
you
will
bring
mischief
upon
them
—
and
on
yourself
also
.
"
"
What
matters
it
for
me
?
I
love
them
;
and
love
works
no
evil
.
I
will
go
.
"
But
the
truth
was
,
I
forgot
the
children
,
infatuate
with
the
horse
.
Eyes
flashed
through
the
darkness
,
and
I
knew
that
Adam
stood
in
his
own
shape
beside
me
.
I
knew
also
by
his
voice
that
he
repressed
an
indignation
almost
too
strong
for
him
.
"
Mr.
Vane
,
"
he
said
,
"
do
you
not
know
why
you
have
not
yet
done
anything
worth
doing
?
"
"
Because
I
have
been
a
fool
,
"
I
answered
.
"
Wherein
?
"
"
In
everything
.
"
"
Which
do
you
count
your
most
indiscreet
action
?
"
"
Bringing
the
princess
to
life
:
I
ought
to
have
left
her
to
her
just
fate
.
"
"
Nay
,
now
you
talk
foolishly
!
You
could
not
have
done
otherwise
than
you
did
,
not
knowing
she
was
evil
!
—
But
you
never
brought
any
one
to
life
!
How
could
you
,
yourself
dead
?
"
"
I
dead
?
"
I
cried
.
"
Yes
,
"
he
answered
;
"
and
you
will
be
dead
,
so
long
as
you
refuse
to
die
.
"
"
Back
to
the
old
riddling
!
"
I
returned
scornfully
.
"
Be
persuaded
,
and
go
home
with
me
,
"
he
continued
gently
.
"
The
most
—
nearly
the
only
foolish
thing
you
ever
did
,
was
to
run
from
our
dead
.
"
I
pressed
the
horse
's
ribs
,
and
he
was
off
like
a
sudden
wind
.
I
gave
him
a
pat
on
the
side
of
the
neck
,
and
he
went
about
in
a
sharp-driven
curve
,
"
close
to
the
ground
,
like
a
cat
when
scratchingly
she
wheels
about
after
a
mouse
,
"
leaning
sideways
till
his
mane
swept
the
tops
of
the
heather
.
Through
the
dark
I
heard
the
wings
of
the
raven
.
Five
quick
flaps
I
heard
,
and
he
perched
on
the
horse
's
head
.
The
horse
checked
himself
instantly
,
ploughing
up
the
ground
with
his
feet
.
"
Mr.
Vane
,
"
croaked
the
raven
,
"
think
what
you
are
doing
!
Twice
already
has
evil
befallen
you
—
once
from
fear
,
and
once
from
heedlessness
:
breach
of
word
is
far
worse
;
it
is
a
crime
.
"
"
The
Little
Ones
are
in
frightful
peril
,
and
I
brought
it
upon
them
!
"
I
cried
.
"
—
But
indeed
I
will
not
break
my
word
to
you
.
I
will
return
,
and
spend
in
your
house
what
nights
—
what
days
—
what
years
you
please
.
"
"
I
tell
you
once
more
you
will
do
them
other
than
good
if
you
go
to-night
,
"
he
insisted
.
But
a
false
sense
of
power
,
a
sense
which
had
no
root
and
was
merely
vibrated
into
me
from
the
strength
of
the
horse
,
had
,
alas
,
rendered
me
too
stupid
to
listen
to
anything
he
said
!
"
Would
you
take
from
me
my
last
chance
of
reparation
?
"
I
cried
.
"
This
time
there
shall
be
no
shirking
!
it
is
my
duty
,
and
I
will
go
—
if
I
perish
for
it
!
"
"
Go
,
then
,
foolish
boy
!
"
he
returned
,
with
anger
in
his
croak
.
"
Take
the
horse
,
and
ride
to
failure
!
May
it
be
to
humility
!
"
He
spread
his
wings
and
flew
.
Again
I
pressed
the
lean
ribs
under
me
.
"
After
the
spotted
leopardess
!
"
I
whispered
in
his
ear
.
He
turned
his
head
this
way
and
that
,
snuffing
the
air
;
then
started
,
and
went
a
few
paces
in
a
slow
,
undecided
walk
.
Suddenly
he
quickened
his
walk
;
broke
into
a
trot
;
began
to
gallop
,
and
in
a
few
moments
his
speed
was
tremendous
.
He
seemed
to
see
in
the
dark
;
never
stumbled
,
not
once
faltered
,
not
once
hesitated
.
I
sat
as
on
the
ridge
of
a
wave
.
I
felt
under
me
the
play
of
each
individual
muscle
:
his
joints
were
so
elastic
,
and
his
every
movement
glided
so
into
the
next
,
that
not
once
did
he
jar
me
.
His
growing
swiftness
bore
him
along
until
he
flew
rather
than
ran
.
The
wind
met
and
passed
us
like
a
tornado
.
Across
the
evil
hollow
we
sped
like
a
bolt
from
an
arblast
.
No
monster
lifted
its
neck
;
all
knew
the
hoofs
that
thundered
over
their
heads
!
We
rushed
up
the
hills
,
we
shot
down
their
farther
slopes
;
from
the
rocky
chasms
of
the
river-bed
he
did
not
swerve
;
he
held
on
over
them
his
fierce
,
terrible
gallop
.
The
moon
,
half-way
up
the
heaven
,
gazed
with
a
solemn
trouble
in
her
pale
countenance
.
Rejoicing
in
the
power
of
my
steed
and
in
the
pride
of
my
life
,
I
sat
like
a
king
and
rode
.
We
were
near
the
middle
of
the
many
channels
,
my
horse
every
other
moment
clearing
one
,
sometimes
two
in
his
stride
,
and
now
and
then
gathering
himself
for
a
great
bounding
leap
,
when
the
moon
reached
the
key-stone
of
her
arch
.
Then
came
a
wonder
and
a
terror
:
she
began
to
descend
rolling
like
the
nave
of
Fortune
's
wheel
bowled
by
the
gods
,
and
went
faster
and
faster
.
Like
our
own
moon
,
this
one
had
a
human
face
,
and
now
the
broad
forehead
now
the
chin
was
uppermost
as
she
rolled
.
I
gazed
aghast
.
Across
the
ravines
came
the
howling
of
wolves
.
An
ugly
fear
began
to
invade
the
hollow
places
of
my
heart
;
my
confidence
was
on
the
wane
!
The
horse
maintained
his
headlong
swiftness
,
with
ears
pricked
forward
,
and
thirsty
nostrils
exulting
in
the
wind
his
career
created
.
But
there
was
the
moon
jolting
like
an
old
chariot-wheel
down
the
hill
of
heaven
,
with
awful
boding
!
She
rolled
at
last
over
the
horizon-edge
and
disappeared
,
carrying
all
her
light
with
her
.
The
mighty
steed
was
in
the
act
of
clearing
a
wide
shallow
channel
when
we
were
caught
in
the
net
of
the
darkness
.
His
head
dropped
;
its
impetus
carried
his
helpless
bulk
across
,
but
he
fell
in
a
heap
on
the
margin
,
and
where
he
fell
he
lay
.
I
got
up
,
kneeled
beside
him
,
and
felt
him
all
over
.
Not
a
bone
could
I
find
broken
,
but
he
was
a
horse
no
more
.
I
sat
down
on
the
body
,
and
buried
my
face
in
my
hands
.
chapter
xxxii
THE
LOVERS
AND
THE
BAGS
BITTERLY
cold
grew
the
night
.
The
body
froze
under
me
.
The
cry
of
the
wolves
came
nearer
;
I
heard
their
feet
soft-padding
on
the
rocky
ground
;
their
quick
panting
filled
the
air
.
Through
the
darkness
I
saw
the
many
glowing
eyes
;
their
half-circle
contracted
around
me
.
My
time
was
come
!
I
sprang
to
my
feet
.
—
Alas
,
I
had
not
even
a
stick
!
They
came
in
a
rush
,
their
eyes
flashing
with
fury
of
greed
,
their
black
throats
agape
to
devour
me
.
I
stood
hopelessly
waiting
them
.
One
moment
they
halted
over
the
horse
—
then
came
at
me
.
With
a
sound
of
swiftness
all
but
silence
,
a
cloud
of
green
eyes
came
down
on
their
flank
.
The
heads
that
bore
them
flew
at
the
wolves
with
a
cry
feebler
yet
fiercer
than
their
howling
snarl
,
and
by
the
cry
I
knew
them
:
they
were
cats
,
led
by
a
huge
gray
one
.
I
could
see
nothing
of
him
but
his
eyes
,
yet
I
knew
him
—
and
so
knew
his
colour
and
bigness
.
A
terrific
battle
followed
,
whose
tale
alone
came
to
me
through
the
night
.
I
would
have
fled
,
for
surely
it
was
but
a
fight
which
should
have
me
!
—
only
where
was
the
use
?
my
first
step
would
be
a
fall
!
and
my
foes
of
either
kind
could
both
see
and
scent
me
in
the
dark
!
All
at
once
I
missed
the
howling
,
and
the
caterwauling
grew
wilder
.
Then
came
the
soft
padding
,
and
I
knew
it
meant
flight
:
the
cats
had
defeated
the
wolves
!
In
a
moment
the
sharpest
of
sharp
teeth
were
in
my
legs
;
a
moment
more
and
the
cats
were
all
over
me
in
a
live
cataract
,
biting
wherever
they
could
bite
,
furiously
scratching
me
anywhere
and
everywhere
.
A
multitude
clung
to
my
body
;
I
could
not
flee
.
Madly
I
fell
on
the
hateful
swarm
,
every
finger
instinct
with
destruction
.
I
tore
them
off
me
,
I
throttled
at
them
in
vain
:
when
I
would
have
flung
them
from
me
,
they
clung
to
my
hands
like
limpets
.
I
trampled
them
under
my
feet
,
thrust
my
fingers
in
their
eyes
,
caught
them
in
jaws
stronger
than
theirs
,
but
could
not
rid
myself
of
one
.
Without
cease
they
kept
discovering
upon
me
space
for
fresh
mouthfuls
;
they
hauled
at
my
skin
with
the
widespread
,
horribly
curved
pincers
of
clutching
claws
;
they
hissed
and
spat
in
my
face
—
but
never
touched
it
until
,
in
my
despair
,
I
threw
myself
on
the
ground
,
when
they
forsook
my
body
,
and
darted
at
my
face
.
I
rose
,
and
immediately
they
left
it
,
the
more
to
occupy
themselves
with
my
legs
.
In
an
agony
I
broke
from
them
and
ran
,
careless
whither
,
cleaving
the
solid
dark
.
They
accompanied
me
in
a
surrounding
torrent
,
now
rubbing
,
now
leaping
up
against
me
,
but
tormenting
me
no
more
.
When
I
fell
,
which
was
often
,
they
gave
me
time
to
rise
;
when
from
fear
of
falling
I
slackened
my
pace
,
they
flew
afresh
at
my
legs
.
All
that
miserable
night
they
kept
me
running
—
but
they
drove
me
by
a
comparatively
smooth
path
,
for
I
tumbled
into
no
gully
,
and
passing
the
Evil
Wood
without
seeing
it
,
left
it
behind
in
the
dark
.
When
at
length
the
morning
appeared
,
I
was
beyond
the
channels
,
and
on
the
verge
of
the
orchard
valley
.
In
my
joy
I
would
have
made
friends
with
my
persecutors
,
but
not
a
cat
was
to
be
seen
.
I
threw
myself
on
the
moss
,
and
fell
fast
asleep
.
I
was
waked
by
a
kick
,
to
find
myself
bound
hand
and
foot
,
once
more
the
thrall
of
the
giants
!
"
What
fitter
?
"
I
said
to
myself
;
"
to
whom
else
should
I
belong
?
"
and
I
laughed
in
the
triumph
of
self-disgust
.
A
second
kick
stopped
my
false
merriment
;
and
thus
recurrently
assisted
by
my
captors
,
I
succeeded
at
length
in
rising
to
my
feet
.
Six
of
them
were
about
me
.
They
undid
the
rope
that
tied
my
legs
together
,
attached
a
rope
to
each
of
them
,
and
dragged
me
away
.
I
walked
as
well
as
I
could
,
but
,
as
they
frequently
pulled
both
ropes
at
once
,
I
fell
repeatedly
,
whereupon
they
always
kicked
me
up
again
.
Straight
to
my
old
labour
they
took
me
,
tied
my
leg-ropes
to
a
tree
,
undid
my
arms
,
and
put
the
hateful
flint
in
my
left
hand
.
Then
they
lay
down
and
pelted
me
with
fallen
fruit
and
stones
,
but
seldom
hit
me
.
If
I
could
have
freed
my
legs
,
and
got
hold
of
a
stick
I
spied
a
couple
of
yards
from
me
,
I
would
have
fallen
upon
all
six
of
them
!
"
But
the
Little
Ones
will
come
at
night
!
"
I
said
to
myself
,
and
was
comforted
.
All
day
I
worked
hard
.
When
the
darkness
came
,
they
tied
my
hands
,
and
left
me
fast
to
the
tree
.
I
slept
a
good
deal
,
but
woke
often
,
and
every
time
from
a
dream
of
lying
in
the
heart
of
a
heap
of
children
.
With
the
morning
my
enemies
reappeared
,
bringing
their
kicks
and
their
bestial
company
.
It
was
about
noon
,
and
I
was
nearly
failing
from
fatigue
and
hunger
,
when
I
heard
a
sudden
commotion
in
the
brushwood
,
followed
by
a
burst
of
the
bell-like
laughter
so
dear
to
my
heart
.
I
gave
a
loud
cry
of
delight
and
welcome
.
Immediately
rose
a
trumpeting
as
of
baby
elephants
,
a
neighing
as
of
foals
,
and
a
bellowing
as
of
calves
,
and
through
the
bushes
came
a
crowd
of
Little
Ones
,
on
diminutive
horses
,
on
small
elephants
,
on
little
bears
;
but
the
noises
came
from
the
riders
,
not
the
animals
.
Mingled
with
the
mounted
ones
walked
the
bigger
of
the
boys
and
girls
,
among
the
latter
a
woman
with
a
baby
crowing
in
her
arms
.
The
giants
sprang
to
their
lumbering
feet
,
but
were
instantly
saluted
with
a
storm
of
sharp
stones
;
the
horses
charged
their
legs
;
the
bears
rose
and
hugged
them
at
the
waist
;
the
elephants
threw
their
trunks
round
their
necks
,
pulled
them
down
,
and
gave
them
such
a
trampling
as
they
had
sometimes
given
,
but
never
received
before
.
In
a
moment
my
ropes
were
undone
,
and
I
was
in
the
arms
,
seemingly
innumerable
,
of
the
Little
Ones
.
For
some
time
I
saw
no
more
of
the
giants
.
They
made
me
sit
down
,
and
my
Lona
came
,
and
without
a
word
began
to
feed
me
with
the
loveliest
red
and
yellow
fruits
.
I
sat
and
ate
,
the
whole
colony
mounting
guard
until
I
had
done
.
Then
they
brought
up
two
of
the
largest
of
their
elephants
,
and
having
placed
them
side
by
side
,
hooked
their
trunks
and
tied
their
tails
together
.
The
docile
creatures
could
have
untied
their
tails
with
a
single
shake
,
and
unhooked
their
trunks
by
forgetting
them
;
but
tails
and
trunks
remained
as
their
little
masters
had
arranged
them
,
and
it
was
clear
the
elephants
understood
that
they
must
keep
their
bodies
parallel
.
I
got
up
,
and
laid
myself
in
the
hollow
between
their
two
backs
;
when
the
wise
animals
,
counteracting
the
weight
that
pushed
them
apart
,
leaned
against
each
other
,
and
made
for
me
a
most
comfortable
litter
.
My
feet
,
it
is
true
,
projected
beyond
their
tails
,
but
my
head
lay
pillowed
on
an
ear
of
each
.
Then
some
of
the
smaller
children
,
mounting
for
a
bodyguard
,
ranged
themselves
in
a
row
along
the
back
of
each
of
my
bearers
;
the
whole
assembly
formed
itself
in
train
;
and
the
procession
began
to
move
.
Whither
they
were
carrying
me
,
I
did
not
try
to
conjecture
;
I
yielded
myself
to
their
pleasure
,
almost
as
happy
as
they
.
Chattering
and
laughing
and
playing
glad
tricks
innumerable
at
first
,
the
moment
they
saw
I
was
going
to
sleep
,
they
became
still
as
judges
.
I
woke
:
a
sudden
musical
uproar
greeted
the
opening
of
my
eyes
.
We
were
travelling
through
the
forest
in
which
they
found
the
babies
,
and
which
,
as
I
had
suspected
,
stretched
all
the
way
from
the
valley
to
the
hot
stream
.
A
tiny
girl
sat
with
her
little
feet
close
to
my
face
,
and
looked
down
at
me
coaxingly
for
a
while
,
then
spoke
,
the
rest
seeming
to
hang
on
her
words
.
"
We
make
a
petisson
to
king
,
"
she
said
.
"
What
is
it
,
my
darling
?
"
I
asked
.
"
Sut
eyes
one
minute
,
"
she
answered
.
"
Certainly
I
will
!
Here
goes
!
"
I
replied
,
and
shut
my
eyes
close
.
"
No
,
no
!
not
fore
I
tell
oo
!
"
she
cried
.
I
opened
them
again
,
and
we
talked
and
laughed
together
for
quite
another
hour
.
"
Close
eyes
!
"
she
said
suddenly
.
"
I
closed
my
eyes
,
and
kept
them
close
.
"
The
elephants
stood
still
.
I
heard
a
soft
scurry
,
a
little
rustle
,
and
then
a
silence
—
for
in
that
world
some
silences
are
heard
.
"
Open
eyes
!
"
twenty
voices
a
little
way
off
shouted
at
once
;
but
when
I
obeyed
,
not
a
creature
was
visible
except
the
elephants
that
bore
me
.
I
knew
the
children
marvellously
quick
in
getting
out
of
the
way
—
the
giants
had
taught
them
that
;
but
when
I
raised
myself
,
and
looking
about
in
the
open
shrubless
forest
,
could
descry
neither
hand
nor
heel
,
I
stared
in
"
blank
astonishment
.
"
The
sun
was
set
,
and
it
was
fast
getting
dark
,
yet
presently
a
multitude
of
birds
began
to
sing
.
I
lay
down
to
listen
,
pretty
sure
that
,
if
I
left
them
alone
,
the
hiders
would
soon
come
out
again
.
The
singing
grew
to
a
little
storm
of
bird-voices
.
"
Surely
the
children
must
have
something
to
do
with
it
!
—
And
yet
how
could
they
set
the
birds
singing
?
"
I
said
to
myself
as
I
lay
and
listened
.
Soon
,
however
,
happening
to
look
up
into
the
tree
under
which
my
elephants
stood
,
I
thought
I
spied
a
little
motion
among
the
leaves
,
and
looked
more
keenly
.
Sudden
white
spots
appeared
in
the
dark
foliage
,
the
music
died
down
,
a
gale
of
childish
laughter
rippled
the
air
,
and
white
spots
came
out
in
every
direction
:
the
trees
were
full
of
children
!
In
the
wildest
merriment
they
began
to
descend
,
some
dropping
from
bough
to
bough
so
rapidly
that
I
could
scarce
believe
they
had
not
fallen
.
I
left
my
litter
,
and
was
instantly
surrounded
—
a
mark
for
all
the
artillery
of
their
jubilant
fun
.
With
stately
composure
the
elephants
walked
away
to
bed
.
"
But
,
"
said
I
,
when
their
uproarious
gladness
had
had
scope
for
a
while
,
"
how
is
it
that
I
never
before
heard
you
sing
like
the
birds
?
Even
when
I
thought
it
must
be
you
,
I
could
hardly
believe
it
!
"
"
Ah
,
"
said
one
of
the
wildest
,
"
but
we
were
not
birds
then
!
We
were
run-creatures
,
not
fly-creatures
!
We
had
our
hide-places
in
the
bushes
then
;
but
when
we
came
to
no-bushes
,
only
trees
,
we
had
to
build
nests
!
When
we
built
nests
,
we
grew
birds
,
and
when
we
were
birds
,
we
had
to
do
birds
!
We
asked
them
to
teach
us
their
noises
,
and
they
taught
us
,
and
now
we
are
real
birds
!
—
Come
and
see
my
nest
.
It
's
not
big
enough
for
king
,
but
it
's
big
enough
for
king
to
see
me
in
it
!
"
I
told
him
I
could
not
get
up
a
tree
without
the
sun
to
show
me
the
way
;
when
he
came
,
I
would
try
.
"
Kings
seldom
have
wings
!
"
I
added
.
"
King
!
king
!
"
cried
one
,
"
oo
knows
none
of
us
has
n't
no
wings
—
foolis
feddery
tings
!
Arms
and
legs
is
better
.
"
"
That
is
true
.
I
can
get
up
without
wings
—
and
carry
straws
in
my
mouth
too
,
to
build
my
nest
with
!
"
"
Oo
knows
!
"
he
answered
,
and
went
away
sucking
his
thumb
.
A
moment
after
,
I
heard
him
calling
out
of
his
nest
,
a
great
way
up
a
walnut
tree
of
enormous
size
,
"
Up
adain
,
king
!
Dood
night
!
I
seepy
!
"
And
I
heard
no
more
of
him
till
he
woke
me
in
the
morning
.
chapter
xxxiii
LONA
'S
NARRATIVE
I
LAY
down
by
a
tree
,
and
one
and
one
or
in
little
groups
,
the
children
left
me
and
climbed
to
their
nests
.
They
were
always
so
tired
at
night
and
so
rested
in
the
morning
,
that
they
were
equally
glad
to
go
to
sleep
and
to
get
up
again
.
I
,
although
tired
also
,
lay
awake
:
Lona
had
not
bid
me
good
night
,
and
I
was
sure
she
would
come
.
I
had
been
struck
,
the
moment
I
saw
her
again
,
with
her
resemblance
to
the
princess
,
and
could
not
doubt
her
the
daughter
of
whom
Adam
had
told
me
;
but
in
Lona
the
dazzling
beauty
of
Lilith
was
softened
by
childlikeness
,
and
deepened
by
the
sense
of
motherhood
.
"
She
is
occupied
probably
,
"
I
said
to
myself
,
"
with
the
child
of
the
woman
I
met
fleeing
!
"
who
,
she
had
already
told
me
,
was
not
half
mother
enough
.
She
came
at
length
,
sat
down
beside
me
,
and
after
a
few
moments
of
silent
delight
,
expressed
mainly
by
stroking
my
face
and
hands
,
began
to
tell
me
everything
that
had
befallen
since
I
went
.
The
moon
appeared
as
we
talked
,
and
now
and
then
,
through
the
leaves
,
lighted
for
a
quivering
moment
her
beautiful
face
—
full
of
thought
,
and
a
care
whose
love
redeemed
and
glorified
it
.
How
such
a
child
should
have
been
born
of
such
a
mother
—
such
a
woman
of
such
a
princess
,
was
hard
to
understand
;
but
then
,
happily
,
she
had
two
parents
—
say
rather
,
three
!
She
drew
my
heart
by
what
in
me
was
likest
herself
,
and
I
loved
her
as
one
who
,
grow
to
what
perfection
she
might
,
could
only
become
the
more
a
child
.
I
knew
now
that
I
loved
her
when
I
left
her
,
and
that
the
hope
of
seeing
her
again
had
been
my
main
comfort
.
Every
word
she
spoke
seemed
to
go
straight
to
my
heart
,
and
,
like
the
truth
itself
,
make
it
purer
.
She
told
me
that
after
I
left
the
orchard
valley
,
the
giants
began
to
believe
a
little
more
in
the
actual
existence
of
their
neighbours
,
and
became
in
consequence
more
hostile
to
them
.
Sometimes
the
Little
Ones
would
see
them
trampling
furiously
,
perceiving
or
imagining
some
indication
of
their
presence
,
while
they
indeed
stood
beside
,
and
laughed
at
their
foolish
rage
.
By
and
by
,
however
,
their
animosity
assumed
a
more
practical
shape
:
they
began
to
destroy
the
trees
on
whose
fruit
the
Little
Ones
lived
.
This
drove
the
mother
of
them
all
to
meditate
counteraction
.
Setting
the
sharpest
of
them
to
listen
at
night
,
she
learned
that
the
giants
thought
I
was
hidden
somewhere
near
,
intending
,
as
soon
as
I
recovered
my
strength
,
to
come
in
the
dark
and
kill
them
sleeping
.
Thereupon
she
concluded
that
the
only
way
to
stop
the
destruction
was
to
give
them
ground
for
believing
that
they
had
abandoned
the
place
.
The
Little
Ones
must
remove
into
the
forest
—
beyond
the
range
of
the
giants
,
but
within
reach
of
their
own
trees
,
which
they
must
visit
by
night
!
The
main
objection
to
the
plan
was
,
that
the
forest
had
little
or
no
undergrowth
to
shelter
—
or
conceal
them
if
necessary
.
But
she
reflected
that
where
birds
,
there
the
Little
Ones
could
find
habitation
.
They
had
eager
sympathies
with
all
modes
of
life
,
and
could
learn
of
the
wildest
creatures
:
why
should
they
not
take
refuge
from
the
cold
and
their
enemies
in
the
tree-tops
?
why
not
,
having
lain
in
the
low
brushwood
,
seek
now
the
lofty
foliage
?
why
not
build
nests
where
it
would
not
serve
to
scoop
hollows
?
All
that
the
birds
could
do
,
the
Little
Ones
could
learn
—
except
,
indeed
,
to
fly
!
She
spoke
to
them
on
the
subject
,
and
they
heard
with
approval
.
They
could
already
climb
the
trees
,
and
they
had
often
watched
the
birds
building
their
nests
!
The
trees
of
the
forest
,
although
large
,
did
not
look
bad
!
They
went
up
much
nearer
the
sky
than
those
of
the
giants
,
and
spread
out
their
arms
—
some
even
stretched
them
down
—
as
if
inviting
them
to
come
and
live
with
them
!
Perhaps
,
in
the
top
of
the
tallest
,
they
might
find
the
bird
that
laid
the
baby-eggs
,
and
sat
upon
them
till
they
were
ripe
,
then
tumbled
them
down
to
let
the
little
ones
out
!
Yes
;
they
would
build
sleep-houses
in
the
trees
,
where
no
giant
would
see
them
,
for
never
by
any
chance
did
one
throw
back
his
dull
head
to
look
up
!
Then
the
bad
giants
would
be
sure
they
had
left
the
country
,
and
the
Little
Ones
would
gather
their
own
apples
and
pears
and
figs
and
mesples
and
peaches
when
they
were
asleep
!
Thus
reasoned
the
Lovers
,
and
eagerly
adopted
Lona
's
suggestion
—
with
the
result
that
they
were
soon
as
much
at
home
in
the
tree-tops
as
the
birds
themselves
,
and
that
the
giants
came
ere
long
to
the
conclusion
that
they
had
frightened
them
out
of
the
country
—
whereupon
they
forgot
their
trees
,
and
again
almost
ceased
to
believe
in
the
existence
of
their
small
neighbours
.
Lona
asked
me
whether
I
had
not
observed
that
many
of
the
children
were
grown
.
I
answered
I
had
not
,
but
could
readily
believe
it
.
She
assured
me
it
was
so
,
but
said
the
certain
evidence
that
their
minds
too
had
grown
since
their
migration
upward
,
had
gone
far
in
mitigation
of
the
alarm
the
discovery
had
occasioned
her
.
In
the
last
of
the
short
twilight
,
and
later
when
the
moon
was
shining
,
they
went
down
to
the
valley
,
and
gathered
fruit
enough
to
serve
them
the
next
day
;
for
the
giants
never
went
out
in
the
twilight
:
that
to
them
was
darkness
;
and
they
hated
the
moon
:
had
they
been
able
,
they
would
have
extinguished
her
.
But
soon
the
Little
Ones
found
that
fruit
gathered
in
the
night
was
not
altogether
good
the
next
day
;
so
the
question
arose
whether
it
would
not
be
better
,
instead
of
pretending
to
have
left
the
country
,
to
make
the
bad
giants
themselves
leave
it
.
They
had
already
,
she
said
,
in
exploring
the
forest
,
made
acquaintance
with
the
animals
in
it
,
and
with
most
of
them
personally
.
Knowing
therefore
how
strong
as
well
as
wise
and
docile
some
of
them
were
,
and
how
swift
as
well
as
manageable
many
others
,
they
now
set
themselves
to
secure
their
aid
against
the
giants
,
and
with
loving
,
playful
approaches
,
had
soon
made
more
than
friends
of
most
of
them
,
from
the
first
addressing
horse
or
elephant
as
Brother
or
Sister
Elephant
,
Brother
or
Sister
Horse
,
until
before
long
they
had
an
individual
name
for
each
.
It
was
some
little
time
longer
before
they
said
Brother
or
Sister
Bear
,
but
that
came
next
,
and
the
other
day
she
had
heard
one
little
fellow
cry
,
"
Ah
,
Sister
Serpent
!
"
to
a
snake
that
bit
him
as
he
played
with
it
too
roughly
.
Most
of
them
would
have
nothing
to
do
with
a
caterpillar
,
except
watch
it
through
its
changes
;
but
when
at
length
it
came
from
its
retirement
with
wings
,
all
would
immediately
address
it
as
Sister
Butterfly
,
congratulating
it
on
its
metamorphosis
—
for
which
they
used
a
word
that
meant
something
like
repentance
—
and
evidently
regarding
it
as
something
sacred
.
One
moonlit
evening
,
as
they
were
going
to
gather
their
fruit
,
they
came
upon
a
woman
seated
on
the
ground
with
a
baby
in
her
lap
—
the
woman
I
had
met
on
my
way
to
Bulika
.
They
took
her
for
a
giantess
that
had
stolen
one
of
their
babies
,
for
they
regarded
all
babies
as
their
property
.
Filled
with
anger
they
fell
upon
her
multitudinously
,
beating
her
after
a
childish
,
yet
sufficiently
bewildering
fashion
.
She
would
have
fled
,
but
a
boy
threw
himself
down
and
held
her
by
the
feet
.
Recovering
her
wits
,
she
recognised
in
her
assailants
the
children
whose
hospitality
she
sought
,
and
at
once
yielded
the
baby
.
Lona
appeared
,
and
carried
it
away
in
her
bosom
.
But
while
the
woman
noted
that
in
striking
her
they
were
careful
not
to
hurt
the
child
,
the
Little
Ones
noted
that
,
as
she
surrendered
her
,
she
hugged
and
kissed
her
just
as
they
wanted
to
do
,
and
came
to
the
conclusion
that
she
must
be
a
giantess
of
the
same
kind
as
the
good
giant
.
The
moment
Lona
had
the
baby
,
therefore
,
they
brought
the
mother
fruit
,
and
began
to
show
her
every
sort
of
childish
attention
.
Now
the
woman
had
been
in
perplexity
whither
to
betake
herself
,
not
daring
to
go
back
to
the
city
,
because
the
princess
was
certain
to
find
out
who
had
lamed
her
leopardess
:
delighted
with
the
friendliness
of
the
little
people
,
she
resolved
to
remain
with
them
for
the
present
:
she
would
have
no
trouble
with
her
infant
,
and
might
find
some
way
of
returning
to
her
husband
,
who
was
rich
in
money
and
gems
,
and
very
seldom
unkind
to
her
.
Here
I
must
supplement
,
partly
from
conjecture
,
what
Lona
told
me
about
the
woman
.
With
the
rest
of
the
inhabitants
of
Bulika
,
she
was
aware
of
the
tradition
that
the
princess
lived
in
terror
of
the
birth
of
an
infant
destined
to
her
destruction
.
They
were
all
unacquainted
,
however
,
with
the
frightful
means
by
which
she
preserved
her
youth
and
beauty
;
and
her
deteriorating
physical
condition
requiring
a
larger
use
of
those
means
,
they
took
the
apparent
increase
of
her
hostility
to
children
for
a
sign
that
she
saw
her
doom
approaching
.
This
,
although
no
one
dreamed
of
any
attempt
against
her
,
nourished
in
them
hopes
of
change
.
Now
arose
in
the
mind
of
the
woman
the
idea
of
furthering
the
fulfilment
of
the
shadowy
prediction
,
or
of
using
the
myth
at
least
for
her
own
restoration
to
her
husband
.
For
what
seemed
more
probable
than
that
the
fate
foretold
lay
with
these
very
children
?
They
were
marvellously
brave
,
and
the
Bulikans
cowards
,
in
abject
terror
of
animals
!
If
she
could
rouse
in
the
Little
Ones
the
ambition
of
taking
the
city
,
then
in
the
confusion
of
the
attack
,
she
would
escape
from
the
little
army
,
reach
her
house
unrecognised
,
and
there
lying
hidden
,
await
the
result
!
Should
the
children
now
succeed
in
expelling
the
giants
,
she
would
begin
at
once
,
while
they
were
yet
flushed
with
victory
,
to
suggest
the
loftier
aim
!
By
disposition
,
indeed
,
they
were
unfit
for
warfare
;
they
hardly
ever
quarrelled
,
and
never
fought
;
loved
every
live
thing
,
and
hated
either
to
hurt
or
to
suffer
.
Still
,
they
were
easily
influenced
,
and
could
certainly
be
taught
any
exercise
within
their
strength
!
—
At
once
she
set
some
of
the
smaller
ones
throwing
stones
at
a
mark
;
and
soon
they
were
all
engrossed
with
the
new
game
,
and
growing
skilful
in
it
.
The
first
practical
result
was
their
use
of
stones
in
my
rescue
.
While
gathering
fruit
,
they
found
me
asleep
,
went
home
,
held
a
council
,
came
the
next
day
with
their
elephants
and
horses
,
overwhelmed
the
few
giants
watching
me
,
and
carried
me
off
.
Jubilant
over
their
victory
,
the
smaller
boys
were
childishly
boastful
,
the
bigger
boys
less
ostentatious
,
while
the
girls
,
although
their
eyes
flashed
more
,
were
not
so
talkative
as
usual
.
The
woman
of
Bulika
no
doubt
felt
encouraged
.
We
talked
the
greater
part
of
the
night
,
chiefly
about
the
growth
of
the
children
,
and
what
it
might
indicate
.
With
Lona
's
power
of
recognising
truth
I
had
long
been
familiar
;
now
I
began
to
be
astonished
at
her
practical
wisdom
.
Probably
,
had
I
been
more
of
a
child
myself
,
I
should
have
wondered
less
.
It
was
yet
far
from
morning
when
I
became
aware
of
a
slight
fluttering
and
scrambling
.
I
rose
on
my
elbow
,
and
looking
about
me
,
saw
many
Little
Ones
descend
from
their
nests
.
They
disappeared
,
and
in
a
few
moments
all
was
again
still
.
"
What
are
they
doing
?
"
I
asked
.
"
They
think
,
"
answered
Lona
,
"
that
,
stupid
as
they
are
,
the
giants
will
search
the
wood
,
and
they
are
gone
to
gather
stones
with
which
to
receive
them
.
Stones
are
not
plentiful
in
the
forest
,
and
they
have
to
scatter
far
to
find
enow
.
They
will
carry
them
to
their
nests
,
and
from
the
trees
attack
the
giants
as
they
come
within
reach
.
Knowing
their
habits
,
they
do
not
expect
them
before
the
morning
.
If
they
do
come
,
it
will
be
the
opening
of
a
war
of
expulsion
:
one
or
the
other
people
must
go
.
The
result
,
however
,
is
hardly
doubtful
.
We
do
not
mean
to
kill
them
;
indeed
,
their
skulls
are
so
thick
that
I
do
not
think
we
could
!
—
not
that
killing
would
do
them
much
harm
;
they
are
so
little
alive
!
If
one
were
killed
,
his
giantess
would
not
remember
him
beyond
three
days
!
"
"
Do
the
children
then
throw
so
well
that
the
thing
might
happen
?
"
I
asked
.
"
Wait
till
you
see
them
!
"
she
answered
,
with
a
touch
of
pride
.
"
—
But
I
have
not
yet
told
you
,
"
she
went
on
,
"
of
a
strange
thing
that
happened
the
night
before
last
!
—
We
had
come
home
from
gathering
our
fruit
,
and
were
asleep
in
our
nests
,
when
we
were
roused
by
the
horrid
noises
of
beasts
fighting
.
The
moon
was
bright
,
and
in
a
moment
our
trees
glittered
with
staring
little
eyes
,
watching
two
huge
leopardesses
,
one
perfectly
white
,
the
other
covered
with
black
spots
,
which
worried
and
tore
each
other
with
I
do
not
know
how
many
teeth
and
claws
.
To
judge
by
her
back
,
the
spotted
creature
must
have
been
climbing
a
tree
when
the
other
sprang
upon
her
.
When
first
I
saw
them
,
they
were
just
under
my
own
tree
,
rolling
over
and
over
each
other
.
I
got
down
on
the
lowest
branch
,
and
saw
them
perfectly
.
The
children
enjoyed
the
spectacle
,
siding
some
with
this
one
,
some
with
that
,
for
we
had
never
seen
such
beasts
before
,
and
thought
they
were
only
at
play
.
But
by
degrees
their
roaring
and
growling
almost
ceased
,
and
I
saw
that
they
were
in
deadly
earnest
,
and
heartily
wished
neither
might
be
left
able
to
climb
a
tree
.
But
when
the
children
saw
the
blood
pouring
from
their
flanks
and
throats
,
what
do
you
think
they
did
?
They
scurried
down
to
comfort
them
,
and
gathering
in
a
great
crowd
about
the
terrible
creatures
,
began
to
pat
and
stroke
them
.
Then
I
got
down
as
well
,
for
they
were
much
too
absorbed
to
heed
my
calling
to
them
;
but
before
I
could
reach
them
,
the
white
one
stopped
fighting
,
and
sprang
among
them
with
such
a
hideous
yell
that
they
flew
up
into
the
trees
like
birds
.
Before
I
got
back
into
mine
,
the
wicked
beasts
were
at
it
again
tooth
and
claw
.
Then
Whitey
had
the
best
of
it
;
Spotty
ran
away
as
fast
as
she
could
run
,
and
Whitey
came
and
lay
down
at
the
foot
of
my
tree
.
But
in
a
minute
or
two
she
was
up
again
,
and
walking
about
as
if
she
thought
Spotty
might
be
lurking
somewhere
.
I
waked
often
,
and
every
time
I
looked
out
,
I
saw
her
.
In
the
morning
she
went
away
.
"
"
I
know
both
the
beasts
,
"
I
said
.
"
Spotty
is
a
bad
beast
.
She
hates
the
children
,
and
would
kill
every
one
of
them
.
But
Whitey
loves
them
.
She
ran
at
them
only
to
frighten
them
away
,
lest
Spotty
should
get
hold
of
any
of
them
.
No
one
needs
be
afraid
of
Whitey
!
"
By
this
time
the
Little
Ones
were
coming
back
,
and
with
much
noise
,
for
they
had
no
care
to
keep
quiet
now
that
they
were
at
open
war
with
the
giants
,
and
laden
with
good
stones
.
They
mounted
to
their
nests
again
,
though
with
difficulty
because
of
their
burdens
,
and
in
a
minute
were
fast
asleep
.
Lona
retired
to
her
tree
.
I
lay
where
I
was
,
and
slept
the
better
that
I
thought
most
likely
the
white
leopardess
was
still
somewhere
in
the
wood
.
I
woke
soon
after
the
sun
,
and
lay
pondering
.
Two
hours
passed
,
and
then
in
truth
the
giants
began
to
appear
,
in
straggling
companies
of
three
and
four
,
until
I
counted
over
a
hundred
of
them
.
The
children
were
still
asleep
,
and
to
call
them
would
draw
the
attention
of
the
giants
:
I
would
keep
quiet
so
long
as
they
did
not
discover
me
.
But
by
and
by
one
came
blundering
upon
me
,
stumbled
,
fell
,
and
rose
again
.
I
thought
he
would
pass
heedless
,
but
he
began
to
search
about
.
I
sprang
to
my
feet
,
and
struck
him
in
the
middle
of
his
huge
body
.
The
roar
he
gave
roused
the
children
,
and
a
storm
as
of
hail
instantly
came
on
,
of
which
not
a
stone
struck
me
,
and
not
one
missed
the
giant
.
He
fell
and
lay
.
Others
drew
near
,
and
the
storm
extended
,
each
purblind
creature
becoming
,
as
he
entered
the
range
of
a
garrisoned
tree
,
a
target
for
converging
stones
.
In
a
short
time
almost
every
giant
was
prostrate
,
and
a
jubilant
pæan
of
bird-song
rose
from
the
tops
of
fifty
trees
.
Many
elephants
came
hurrying
up
,
and
the
children
descending
the
trees
like
monkeys
,
in
a
moment
every
elephant
had
three
or
four
of
them
on
his
back
,
and
thus
loaded
,
began
to
walk
over
the
giants
,
who
lay
and
roared
.
Losing
patience
at
length
with
their
noise
,
the
elephants
gave
them
a
few
blows
of
their
trunks
,
and
left
them
.
Until
night
the
bad
giants
remained
where
they
had
fallen
,
silent
and
motionless
.
The
next
morning
they
had
disappeared
every
one
,
and
the
children
saw
no
more
of
them
.
They
removed
to
the
other
end
of
the
orchard
valley
,
and
never
after
ventured
into
the
forest
.
chapter
xxxiv
PREPARATION
VICTORY
thus
gained
,
the
woman
of
Bulika
began
to
speak
about
the
city
,
and
talked
much
of
its
defenceless
condition
,
of
the
wickedness
of
its
princess
,
of
the
cowardice
of
its
inhabitants
.
In
a
few
days
the
children
chattered
of
nothing
but
Bulika
,
although
indeed
they
had
not
the
least
notion
of
what
a
city
was
.
Then
first
I
became
aware
of
the
design
of
the
woman
,
although
not
yet
of
its
motive
.
The
idea
of
taking
possession
of
the
place
,
recommended
itself
greatly
to
Lona
—
and
to
me
also
.
The
children
were
now
so
rapidly
developing
faculty
,
that
I
could
see
no
serious
obstacle
to
the
success
of
the
enterprise
.
For
the
terrible
Lilith
—
woman
or
leopardess
,
I
knew
her
one
vulnerable
point
,
her
doom
through
her
daughter
,
and
the
influence
the
ancient
prophecy
had
upon
the
citizens
:
surely
whatever
in
the
enterprise
could
be
called
risk
,
was
worth
taking
!
Successful
,
—
and
who
could
doubt
their
success
?
—
must
not
the
Little
Ones
,
from
a
crowd
of
children
,
speedily
become
a
youthful
people
,
whose
government
and
influence
would
be
all
for
righteousness
?
Ruling
the
wicked
with
a
rod
of
iron
,
would
they
not
be
the
redemption
of
the
nation
?
At
the
same
time
,
I
have
to
confess
that
I
was
not
without
views
of
personal
advantage
,
not
without
ambition
in
the
undertaking
.
It
was
just
,
it
seemed
to
me
,
that
Lona
should
take
her
seat
on
the
throne
that
had
been
her
mother
's
,
and
natural
that
she
should
make
of
me
her
consort
and
minister
.
For
me
,
I
would
spend
my
life
in
her
service
;
and
between
us
,
what
might
we
not
do
,
with
such
a
core
to
it
as
the
Little
Ones
,
for
the
development
of
a
noble
state
?
I
confess
also
to
an
altogether
foolish
dream
of
opening
a
commerce
in
gems
between
the
two
worlds
—
happily
impossible
,
for
it
could
have
done
nothing
but
harm
to
both
.
Calling
to
mind
the
appeal
of
Adam
,
I
suggested
to
Lona
that
to
find
them
water
might
perhaps
expedite
the
growth
of
the
Little
Ones
.
She
judged
it
prudent
,
however
,
to
leave
that
alone
for
the
present
,
as
we
did
not
know
what
its
first
consequences
might
be
;
while
,
in
the
course
of
time
,
it
would
almost
certainly
subject
them
to
a
new
necessity
.
"
They
are
what
they
are
without
it
!
"
she
said
:
"
when
we
have
the
city
,
we
will
search
for
water
!
"
We
began
,
therefore
,
and
pushed
forward
our
preparations
,
constantly
reviewing
the
merry
troops
and
companies
.
Lona
gave
her
attention
chiefly
to
the
commissariat
,
while
I
drilled
the
little
soldiers
,
exercised
them
in
stone-throwing
,
taught
them
the
use
of
some
other
weapons
,
and
did
all
I
could
to
make
warriors
of
them
.
The
main
difficulty
was
to
get
them
to
rally
to
their
flag
the
instant
the
call
was
sounded
.
Most
of
them
were
armed
with
slings
,
some
of
the
bigger
boys
with
bows
and
arrows
.
The
bigger
girls
carried
aloe-spikes
,
strong
as
steel
and
sharp
as
needles
,
fitted
to
longish
shafts
—
rather
formidable
weapons
.
Their
sole
duty
was
the
charge
of
such
as
were
too
small
to
fight
.
Lona
had
herself
grown
a
good
deal
,
but
did
not
seem
aware
of
it
:
she
had
always
been
,
as
she
still
was
,
the
tallest
!
Her
hair
was
much
longer
,
and
she
was
become
almost
a
woman
,
but
not
one
beauty
of
childhood
had
she
outgrown
.
When
first
we
met
after
our
long
separation
,
she
laid
down
her
infant
,
put
her
arms
round
my
neck
,
and
clung
to
me
silent
,
her
face
glowing
with
gladness
:
the
child
whimpered
;
she
sprang
to
him
,
and
had
him
in
her
bosom
instantly
.
To
see
her
with
any
thoughtless
,
obstinate
,
or
irritable
little
one
,
was
to
think
of
a
tender
grandmother
.
I
seemed
to
have
known
her
for
ages
—
for
always
—
from
before
time
began
!
I
hardly
remembered
my
mother
,
but
in
my
mind
's
eye
she
now
looked
like
Lona
;
and
if
I
imagined
sister
or
child
,
invariably
she
had
the
face
of
Lona
!
My
every
imagination
flew
to
her
;
she
was
my
heart
's
wife
!
She
hardly
ever
sought
me
,
but
was
almost
always
within
sound
of
my
voice
.
What
I
did
or
thought
,
I
referred
constantly
to
her
,
and
rejoiced
to
believe
that
,
while
doing
her
work
in
absolute
independence
,
she
was
most
at
home
by
my
side
.
Never
for
me
did
she
neglect
the
smallest
child
,
and
my
love
only
quickened
my
sense
of
duty
.
To
love
her
and
to
do
my
duty
,
seemed
,
not
indeed
one
,
but
inseparable
.
She
might
suggest
something
I
should
do
;
she
might
ask
me
what
she
ought
to
do
;
but
she
never
seemed
to
suppose
that
I
,
any
more
than
she
,
would
like
to
do
,
or
could
care
about
anything
except
what
must
be
done
.
Her
love
overflowed
upon
me
—
not
in
caresses
,
but
in
a
closeness
of
recognition
which
I
can
compare
to
nothing
but
the
devotion
of
a
divine
animal
.
I
never
told
her
anything
about
her
mother
.
The
wood
was
full
of
birds
,
the
splendour
of
whose
plumage
,
while
it
took
nothing
from
their
song
,
seemed
almost
to
make
up
for
the
lack
of
flowers
—
which
,
apparently
,
could
not
grow
without
water
.
Their
glorious
feathers
being
everywhere
about
in
the
forest
,
it
came
into
my
heart
to
make
from
them
a
garment
for
Lona
.
While
I
gathered
,
and
bound
them
in
overlapping
rows
,
she
watched
me
with
evident
appreciation
of
my
choice
and
arrangement
,
never
asking
what
I
was
fashioning
,
but
evidently
waiting
expectant
the
result
of
my
work
.
In
a
week
or
two
it
was
finished
—
a
long
loose
mantle
,
to
fasten
at
the
throat
and
waist
,
with
openings
for
the
arms
.
I
rose
and
put
it
on
her
.
She
rose
,
took
it
off
,
and
laid
it
at
my
feet
—
I
imagine
from
a
sense
of
propriety
.
I
put
it
again
on
her
shoulders
,
and
showed
her
where
to
put
her
arms
through
.
She
smiled
,
looked
at
the
feathers
a
little
and
stroked
them
—
again
took
it
off
and
laid
it
down
,
this
time
by
her
side
.
When
she
left
me
,
she
carried
it
with
her
,
and
I
saw
no
more
of
it
for
some
days
.
At
length
she
came
to
me
one
morning
wearing
it
,
and
carrying
another
garment
which
she
had
fashioned
similarly
,
but
of
the
dried
leaves
of
a
tough
evergreen
.
It
had
the
strength
almost
of
leather
,
and
the
appearance
of
scale-armour
.
I
put
it
on
at
once
,
and
we
always
thereafter
wore
those
garments
when
on
horseback
.
For
,
on
the
outskirts
of
the
forest
,
had
appeared
one
day
a
troop
of
full-grown
horses
,
with
which
,
as
they
were
nowise
alarmed
at
creatures
of
a
shape
so
different
from
their
own
,
I
had
soon
made
friends
,
and
two
of
the
finest
I
had
trained
for
Lona
and
myself
.
Already
accustomed
to
ride
a
small
one
,
her
delight
was
great
when
first
she
looked
down
from
the
back
of
an
animal
of
the
giant
kind
;
and
the
horse
showed
himself
proud
of
the
burden
he
bore
.
We
exercised
them
every
day
until
they
had
such
confidence
in
us
as
to
obey
instantly
and
fear
nothing
;
after
which
we
always
rode
them
at
parade
and
on
the
march
.
The
undertaking
did
indeed
at
times
appear
to
me
a
foolhardy
one
,
but
the
confidence
of
the
woman
of
Bulika
,
real
or
simulated
,
always
overcame
my
hesitancy
.
The
princess
's
magic
,
she
insisted
,
would
prove
powerless
against
the
children
;
and
as
to
any
force
she
might
muster
,
our
animal-allies
alone
would
assure
our
superiority
:
she
was
herself
,
she
said
,
ready
,
with
a
good
stick
,
to
encounter
any
two
men
of
Bulika
.
She
confessed
to
not
a
little
fear
of
the
leopardess
,
but
I
was
myself
ready
for
her
.
I
shrank
,
however
,
from
carrying
all
the
children
with
us
.
"
Would
it
not
be
better
,
"
I
said
,
"
that
you
remained
in
the
forest
with
your
baby
and
the
smallest
of
the
Little
Ones
?
"
She
answered
that
she
greatly
relied
on
the
impression
the
sight
of
them
would
make
on
the
women
,
especially
the
mothers
.
"
When
they
see
the
darlings
,
"
she
said
,
"
their
hearts
will
be
taken
by
storm
;
and
I
must
be
there
encouraging
them
to
make
a
stand
!
If
there
be
a
remnant
of
hardihood
in
the
place
,
it
will
be
found
among
the
women
!
"
"
You
must
not
encumber
yourself
,
"
I
said
to
Lona
,
"
with
any
of
the
children
;
you
will
be
wanted
everywhere
!
"
For
there
were
two
babies
besides
the
woman
's
,
and
even
on
horseback
she
had
almost
always
one
in
her
arms
.
"
I
do
not
remember
ever
being
without
a
child
to
take
care
of
,
"
she
answered
;
"
but
when
we
reach
the
city
,
it
shall
be
as
you
wish
!
"
Her
confidence
in
one
who
had
failed
so
unworthily
,
shamed
me
.
But
neither
had
I
initiated
the
movement
,
nor
had
I
any
ground
for
opposing
it
;
I
had
no
choice
,
but
must
give
it
the
best
help
I
could
!
For
myself
,
I
was
ready
to
live
or
die
with
Lona
.
Her
humility
as
well
as
her
trust
humbled
me
,
and
I
gave
myself
heartily
to
her
purposes
.
Our
way
lying
across
a
grassy
plain
,
there
was
no
need
to
take
food
for
the
horses
,
or
the
two
cows
which
would
accompany
us
for
the
infants
;
but
the
elephants
had
to
be
provided
for
.
True
,
the
grass
was
as
good
for
them
as
for
those
other
animals
,
but
it
was
short
,
and
with
their
one-fingered
long
noses
,
they
could
not
pick
enough
for
a
single
meal
.
We
had
,
therefore
,
set
the
whole
colony
to
gather
grass
and
make
hay
,
of
which
the
elephants
themselves
could
carry
a
quantity
sufficient
to
last
them
several
days
,
with
the
supplement
of
what
we
would
gather
fresh
every
time
we
halted
.
For
the
bears
we
stored
nuts
,
and
for
ourselves
dried
plenty
of
fruits
.
We
had
caught
and
tamed
several
more
of
the
big
horses
,
and
now
having
loaded
them
and
the
elephants
with
these
provisions
,
we
were
prepared
to
set
out
.
Then
Lona
and
I
held
a
general
review
,
and
I
made
them
a
little
speech
.
I
began
by
telling
them
that
I
had
learned
a
good
deal
about
them
,
and
knew
now
where
they
came
from
.
"
We
did
not
come
from
anywhere
,
"
they
cried
,
interrupting
me
;
"
we
are
here
!
"
I
told
them
that
every
one
of
them
had
a
mother
of
his
own
,
like
the
mother
of
the
last
baby
;
that
I
believed
they
had
all
been
brought
from
Bulika
when
they
were
so
small
that
they
could
not
now
remember
it
;
that
the
wicked
princess
there
was
so
afraid
of
babies
,
and
so
determined
to
destroy
them
,
that
their
mothers
had
to
carry
them
away
and
leave
them
where
she
could
not
find
them
;
and
that
now
we
were
going
to
Bulika
,
to
find
their
mothers
,
and
deliver
them
from
the
bad
giantess
.
"
But
I
must
tell
you
,
"
I
continued
,
"
that
there
is
danger
before
us
,
for
,
as
you
know
,
we
may
have
to
fight
hard
to
take
the
city
.
"
"
We
can
fight
!
we
are
ready
!
"
cried
the
boys
.
"
Yes
,
you
can
,
"
I
returned
,
"
and
I
know
you
will
:
mothers
are
worth
fighting
for
!
Only
mind
,
you
must
all
keep
together
.
"
"
Yes
,
yes
;
we
'll
take
care
of
each
other
,
"
they
answered
.
"
Nobody
shall
touch
one
of
us
but
his
own
mother
!
"
"
You
must
mind
,
every
one
,
to
do
immediately
what
your
officers
tell
you
!
"
"
We
will
,
we
will
!
—
Now
we
're
quite
ready
!
Let
us
go
!
"
"
Another
thing
you
must
not
forget
,
"
I
went
on
:
"
when
you
strike
,
be
sure
you
make
it
a
downright
swinging
blow
;
when
you
shoot
an
arrow
,
draw
it
to
the
head
;
when
you
sling
a
stone
,
sling
it
strong
and
straight
.
"
"
That
we
will
!
"
they
cried
with
jubilant
,
fearless
shout
.
"
Perhaps
you
will
be
hurt
!
"
"
We
do
n't
mind
that
!
—
Do
we
,
boys
?
"
"
Not
a
bit
!
"
"
Some
of
you
may
very
possibly
be
killed
!
"
I
said
.
"
I
do
n't
mind
being
killed
!
"
cried
one
of
the
finest
of
the
smaller
boys
:
he
rode
a
beautiful
little
bull
,
which
galloped
and
jumped
like
a
horse
.
"
I
do
n't
either
!
I
do
n't
either
!
"
came
from
all
sides
.
Then
Lona
,
queen
and
mother
and
sister
of
them
all
,
spoke
from
her
big
horse
by
my
side
:
"
I
would
give
my
life
,
"
she
said
,
"
to
have
my
mother
!
She
might
kill
me
if
she
liked
!
I
should
just
kiss
her
and
die
!
"
"
Come
along
,
boys
!
"
cried
a
girl
.
"
We
're
going
to
our
mothers
!
"
A
pang
went
through
my
heart
.
—
But
I
could
not
draw
back
;
it
would
be
moral
ruin
to
the
Little
Ones
!
chapter
xxxv
THE
LITTLE
ONES
IN
BULIKA
IT
was
early
in
the
morning
when
we
set
out
,
making
,
between
the
blue
sky
and
the
green
grass
,
a
gallant
show
on
the
wide
plain
.
We
would
travel
all
the
morning
,
and
rest
the
afternoon
;
then
go
on
at
night
,
rest
the
next
day
,
and
start
again
in
the
short
twilight
.
The
latter
part
of
our
journey
we
would
endeavour
so
to
divide
as
to
arrive
at
the
city
with
the
first
of
the
morning
,
and
be
already
inside
the
gates
when
discovered
.
It
seemed
as
if
all
the
inhabitants
of
the
forest
would
migrate
with
us
.
A
multitude
of
birds
flew
in
front
,
imagining
themselves
,
no
doubt
,
the
leading
division
;
great
companies
of
butterflies
and
other
insects
played
about
our
heads
;
and
a
crowd
of
four-footed
creatures
followed
us
.
These
last
,
when
night
came
,
left
us
almost
all
;
but
the
birds
and
the
butterflies
,
the
wasps
and
the
dragon-flies
,
went
with
us
to
the
very
gates
of
the
city
.
We
halted
and
slept
soundly
through
the
afternoon
:
it
was
our
first
real
march
,
but
none
were
tired
.
In
the
night
we
went
faster
,
because
it
was
cold
.
Many
fell
asleep
on
the
backs
of
their
beasts
,
and
woke
in
the
morning
quite
fresh
.
None
tumbled
off
.
Some
rode
shaggy
,
shambling
bears
,
which
yet
made
speed
enough
,
going
as
fast
as
the
elephants
.
Others
were
mounted
on
different
kinds
of
deer
,
and
would
have
been
racing
all
the
way
had
I
not
prevented
it
.
Those
atop
of
the
hay
on
the
elephants
,
unable
to
see
the
animals
below
them
,
would
keep
talking
to
them
as
long
as
they
were
awake
.
Once
,
when
we
had
