can piece it together. And I suppose you can, for you always
liked to monkey around with words. (From this distance, I would
say that putting words together has been both the curse and the
blessing of your entire life.)

I fear that I cannot understand Ato's and Wolden's talk. But let
me put it this way. We traveled fast and furiously through space.
And all the while, Father Time was laughing at us. You will
remember how Grim Hagen aged on Aldebaran while we sped after him
in what seemed to be only a few weeks. Well, if we left in The
Nebula now and plunged back to earth we would arrive there two
hundred years from the day that we took off. And from what I saw
of your civilization at the last, I have no desire to see it two
hundred years later.

Bewildering, isn't it? Nea always said that we would have to use
new concepts and develop new mores if we ever conquered space.
She was right.

Theoretically, you are gone and forgotten for two centuries. And
yet, Wolden assures me that he can deliver this to you in short
order. Therefore, time does not exist as we know it. Or is it a
river that can be navigated?

Our home is finished. Maya and I are happy. This is a peaceful
planet. Val's people are philosophers. They only fought out of
desperation.

My sword and Gunnar's are growing rusty upon the wall. I have a
small office now, and will probably end up as a country doctor.
The two ships are still out there on the plain. Our children, if
they wish, can man them and go out into space. But as far as we
are concerned we go no more a-hunting.

The notes that I am sending you are fairly complete. It is nearly
midnight and the fire is burning low. Maya is nodding beside me.
So--happy at last--parsecs away and years away--I wish my old
friend a hearty fare-thee-well--and

IT IS A TALE THAT IS TOLD.

Best wishes,

Jack Odin, M. D.

THE END

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES

This etext was produced from Amazing Science Fiction Stories May 1960.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright
on this publication was renewed.

The following corrections have been made to the text:

Page 48: Both hands of the clock were pointing upward{original had uward}.

Page 51: Rolling the knapsack up into a ball and tying it securely{original
had securly