the charred Sudd and Manaka-cake.

The three Mulla-mulgars sat there until the sun began to be bright on
their faces and to make a splendour of the snow; then they did not feel
quite so cold and miserable. And when they had nibbled a few nuts and
berries which a friendly old Manquabee brought down to them, they began
to think and talk over what they had best be doing now--at least, Nod
listened, while Thumb and Thimble talked. And at length they decided
that, their hut being burnt, and they without refuge from the cold, or
any hoard of food, they would wait no longer, but set off at once into
the forest on the same long journey as their father Seelem had gone, to
seek out their Uncle Assasimmon, Prince of the Valleys of Tishnar.

This once said, Thumb lifted his fat body stiffly from his stone, and
took his jumping-pole, and frisked high, leaping to and fro to make
himself warm again. Soon he began to tingle, and laughed out to cheer
the others when he tumbled head over heels into a snowdrift. And they
combed themselves, and stood up to their trouble, and thought
stubbornly, as far as their monkey-wits would let them, only of the
future (which is easier to manage than the past). Then they searched
close in the cooling ashes and embers of the hut, and found a few beads
undimmed by the heat, and all the Margarita stones, which, like the
Salamander, no flame can change; also, one or two unbroken pots and jars
and an old stone kettle or Ghob. Nod, indeed, found also a piece of gold
that had lain hid in the Portingal's rags. But all the little
Traveller's bones except his left thumb knuckle-bone were fallen to
ashes. Nod gave Thumb the noddle of gold, and himself kept the
knuckle-bone. "S[=o][=o]tli,"[5] he whispered, touched his nose with it,
and put it secretly into his pocket. And glad were they to think that
only that morning they had fetched out their red jackets and Nod his
wool coat.

[5] That is, Magic, or Strangeness. When the Mulgars of Munza
see anything strange or unknown, they will whimper to one
another, as they stand with eyes fixed, "S[=o][=o]tli,
S[=o][=o]tli, S[=o][=o]tli," or some such sound.

When the Forest-mulgars heard that the three brothers were setting out
on their long journey, they came trooping down from their leafy
villages, carrying presents, two skin water-bags (for the longed-for
time when the ice should bestir itself), a rough stone knife, a wild-bee
honeycom