gars. Huge frozen ropes of Cullum and
wild Pepper dangled in knots and loops from bough to bough, and
sometimes a troop of Squirrel-tails or spidery Skeetoes swung lightly
down these hoar-frost ropes, chattering and scolding at the three
strangers. But though Thumb called to them in their own tongue.
"Ullalullaubbajub," or some such sounds as that, meaning, "We are
friends," they skipped off, hand, foot, and tail, into their leafy roofs
and shadows, afraid of these cudgel-carrying travellers in their red
jackets, who walked, like the dreaded Oomgar, heads in air.

Yet Nod was glad even of such company as this, so silent was the forest.
In this darkness they sat and ate their handful of food, with scorpions
and speckled tree-spiders watching them from their holes, not knowing
where the sun was, nor daring to kindle a fire with their fire-sticks
for fear of the tree-shadows. And at night they slept huddled close
together for warmth and safety, while Thumb and Thimble kept watch in
turn.

In this way many days passed almost without blink of sunlight. Once and
again they would sidle over some pig-track, or stand, with club in hand,
to watch a leopard pass. And often troops of Mulgars kept pace with them
awhile, swinging from branch to branch, and chattering threats at the
travellers. But most of the forest creatures, parched and famished by
such a cold as had never fallen on Munza-mulgar before, had been driven
down out of the forest in search of food and warmth. And often the
travellers were compelled to search the bark of the trees and in the
crevices of rocks and under stones, as do the Babbaboomas, and eat
whatever creeping things they could find. Beside the dangling Skeetoes,
and now and then father, mother, and chidderkins of some old sour-faced
mournful Mullabruk, they saw few things living, except the little
ivory-gnawing M'boko, Peekodillies, and poison-spiders. But many of
these, too, had died of cold and hunger. And now, instead of the pale
green and amber lamps of firefly and glowworm, burned only the fires of
Tishnar's frost. Birds rarely ventured down into this snowy shadowland,
except only the tiny Telateuties, blood-red as ladybirds, that ran
chittering up the trees. These birds haunt only where daylight rarely
steals, and it is said they talk with the tree-spirits, or giant
N[=o][=o]mas, that roam these shades.

At last, their feet sore with poison-needles, which sometimes pierced
clean through their thi