be pulled down: it will soon be too full of little nests.--Go and get
your clumsies."

"Please are there any cats in it?"

"Not one. The nests are too full of lovely dreams for one cat to get
in."

"We shall be ready in a minute," said Odu, and ran out, followed by all
except Luva.

Lilith was now awake, and listening with a sad smile.

"But her rivers are running so fast!" said Luva, who stood by her side
and seemed unable to take her eyes from her face. "Her robe is all--I
don't know what. Clumsies won't like it!"

"They won't mind it," answered Mara. "Those rivers are so clean that
they make the whole world clean."

I had fallen asleep by the fire, but for some time had been awake and
listening, and now rose.

"It is time to mount, Mr. Vane," said our hostess.

"Tell me, please," I said, "is there not a way by which to avoid the
channels and the den of monsters?"

"There is an easy way across the river-bed, which I will show you," she
answered; "but you must pass once more through the monsters."

"I fear for the children," I said.

"Fear will not once come nigh them," she rejoined.

We left the cottage. The beasts stood waiting about the door. Odu was
already on the neck of one of the two that were to carry the princess. I
mounted Lona's horse; Mara brought her body, and gave it me in my arms.
When she came out again with the princess, a cry of delight arose from
the children: she was no longer muffled! Gazing at her, and entranced
with her loveliness, the boys forgot to receive the princess from her;
but the elephants took Lilith tenderly with their trunks, one round her
body and one round her knees, and, Mara helping, laid her along between
them.

"Why does the princess want to go?" asked a small boy. "She would keep
good if she staid here!"

"She wants to go, and she does not want to go: we are helping her,"
answered Mara. "She will not keep good here."

"What are you helping her to do?" he went on.

"To go where she will get more help--help to open her hand, which has
been closed for a thousand years."

"So long? Then she has learned to do without it: why should she open it
now?"

"Because it is shut upon something that is not hers."

"Please, lady Mara, may we have some of your very dry bread before we
go?" said Luva.

Mara smiled, and brought them four loaves and a great jug of water.

"We will eat as we go," they said. But they drank the water with
delight.

"I think," remarke