But I jumpt
speedy to this side, and again to that, and so in a moment to have
chance to come in surely. And truly I split the skull of the
Bird-thing, so that it died very quick and was gone from pain. And the Bird-creature lay all spread upon the stones and the rock of
that place; and surely it did be as that it were leathern, and made
somewise as a bat doth be of this age, in that it did have no feathers. And, truly, it lookt mighty, where it did be spread; and indeed the body
to be full so big as the body of a young horse; and the bill to be very
deadly and sharp and cumbrous, as you to have guessed. And I to be all
and utter thankful that it did be there, dead, in the stead of mine own
body. And the thing yet to twitch and stir a little, as the life did go
from it. And surely I was back then very speedy to the Maid, and she to be
kneeled upward to watch me. And I took her into mine arms, and lookt
well about; and made then forward again. And about the middle part of the sixth hour of crossing that rocky land,
I saw that we did draw near unto the shallow river, that you shall mind
I came over, after that I had done with the olden flying ship. And in
all that time, since the Bird-monster to come after us, I had seen but
two more, and they a great way off, so that I guessed that I was come
beyond that part where they did go very frequent. And I to wade over the river, and to carry Mine Own upon one arm, the
while that I did sound my way with the staff of the Diskos; and truly I
came across very easy, save that I did have to go around somewhat, where
that the river did seem to have a deep place. And when that we had crost the river, it did be full one and twenty
hours since that we slumbered, as you shall know, if that you but count
a little; for you do mind that we spent a certain time within the tree,
as I have told; and this not to have been proper counted into the time
of our journeying. And surely, the Maid to have been very quiet, since that I did show my
strength a little to her, when that I made her to lie, that she be safe
from the bill of the Bird-monster. But she not to be anywise in anger
upon me; but only, as I do think, that the woman in her did be something
fresh waked unto me; and she to be very content that she be quiet in
mine arms. Now the place that we were come to, was much spread with boulders; but
yet to have the beginnings again of the forests, as you to remember; for
I to have made some small remark of the land in this part, upon mine
outward way. And we lookt about for a fire-hole, that I should dry my
lower garments; and truly, we had not past many in a great while; but we
to be in fortune, that we came soon upon a little fire-hill that did be
no more than so high as a man, and to have the rock all hot about; so
that this did be a good place to our purpose. And I kist the Maid, and set her down out of mine arms; and when that I
had lookt well about, and seen that there did be naught to our sight to
give us to fear, the Maid to help me with mine armour; and afterward
with my garments, and to ease me all ways that she could think of with
helpfulness. And she set the garments of my lower parts to dry, and
whilst that they did be drying, she to make ready the water and the
tablets, and to have me to sit beside her, in my body-vest and gear, and
we to eat and drink very comfortable in the warm hollow that was
something anigh to the small fire-hill. Now, truly, I did be very hungry that time, and indeed to be alway so,
for the tablets did be very unfilling to the belly, as you do well know
from my tellings. And when that I did be finished, I saw that the Maid
lookt at me somewise oddways, and sudden she to come into laughter, and
askt me whether that I did be very empty; and in the same moment there
to be a wondrous dear look within her eyes; so that I perceived that
there went a mother-note under her impudence. And she to yearn, as I could know, that she have some way to feed me;
but truly there did be no way, for we thought not to make to slay aught
for our purpose, and we did be feared that we eat any root or plant,
lest that we be ill. And this to seem strange to my spirit of this our
age, but to be natural unto that; so that I do think I did be so long
bred from the primal obtaining of food, that I did be all lost to that
which should seem natural unto the peoples of this early age of the
world; though we truly to think that the world doth even now be old; and
this to have seemed a true thing unto every age that ever did live. Now, beside that we did lack somewise to think serious that we slay
something to eat, in that the tablets did actually suffice to our
strength, I to believe that there did be some other reason that I do
forget, and mayhap never to have thought plain upon; but which to be set
within me as an instinct, as we do say; and this to mean, if that I try
to set it in other words, that the tablets did keep the body and the
spirit in such condition that the Forces of Evil did have the less power
to act upon us. Yet, have I no remembering that I was taught in the preparation that I
eat naught, save the tablets; and this mayhap never to have been set
upon me; but to have been as a thing that doth never need to have been
told; even as you shall not tell a grown man in this Age that he shall
refrain from dung, and eat only wholesome matter. And truly, I to hope that I have made this thing somewise clear unto
you; for, indeed, it doth be something hard to set out; for every Age
hath the subtleties peculiar to that Age; and these to be hard to the
understanding of other Ages, but yet to seem plain and utter natural,
even without thought, unto the Peoples of the Age. And surely all this to be plain to you, and to be over-plain; for, in
verity, I tell to you, and over-tell, until that I should be weary; and
mayhap you to be the more so. And, indeed, I not to blame you; but only
to hope that your understanding, which doth mean also in general your
hearts, doth be with me all along my way. And, indeed, this my tale to
be not easy told. And, in verity, I to be back now unto the Maid a-laugh upon me, and in
the same moment deeply loving and a-lack that she could not feed me, and
I to laugh with her, and to have understanding with her, as you to know;
and, indeed, I to have an heart that doth be made someways natural unto
understanding; so that even though I be dead when you read this, my
tale, you to feel that we be friends, and to know that could I meet with
you in pitiful trouble, I to have understanding and love to you, if that
you be not utter brutish; and even-so, I to be sorrowful that you should
be brutish, and to have understanding, in that I to know that by
developement you to become wise unto sweetness and charity, and in love
with all dear things, and kind pity of the rest. And thiswise you to be
in human sympathy with me, because that you do feel that I be honest
with you, and somewise even now to your elbow, as you read.