eat the soft stuff with
hammers. I wished to speak to these men, but the words were changed in
my mouth, and all I could say was, "Do not make that noise. It hurts my
head." By this I knew that I was bewitched, and I clung to the Trees,
and prayed the Children of the Night to take off their spells. They were
cruel. They asked me many questions which they would never allow me to
answer. They changed my words between my teeth till I wept. Then they
led me into a hut and covered the floor with hot stones and dashed water
on the stones, and sang charms till the sweat poured off me like water.
I slept. When I waked, my own spirit--not the strange, shouting
thing--was back in my body, and I was like a cool bright stone on the
shingle between the sea and the sunshine. The magicians came to hear
me--women and men--each wearing a Magic Knife. Their Priestess was their
Ears and their Mouth.

'I spoke. I spoke many words that went smoothly along like sheep in
order when their shepherd, standing on a mound, can count those coming,
and those far off getting ready to come. I asked for Magic Knives for my
people. I said that my people would bring meat, and milk, and wool, and
lay them in the short grass outside the Trees, if the Children of the
Night would leave Magic Knives for our people to take away. They were
pleased. Their Priestess said, "For whose sake have you come?" I
answered, "The sheep are the people. If The Beast kills our sheep, our
people die. So I come for a Magic Knife to kill The Beast."

'She said, "We do not know if our God will let us trade with the people
of the Naked Chalk. Wait till we have asked."

'When they came back from the Question place (their Gods are our Gods),
their Priestess said, "The God needs a proof that your words are true."
I said, "What is the proof?" She said, "The God says that if you have
come for the sake of your people you will give him your right eye to be
put out; but if you have come for any other reason you will not give it.
This proof is between you and the God. We ourselves are sorry."

'I said, "This is a hard proof. Is there no other road?"

'She said, "Yes. You can go back to your people with your two eyes in
your head if you choose. But then you will not get any Magic Knives for
your people."

'I said, "It would be easier if I knew that I were to be killed."

'She said, "Perhaps the God knew this too. See! I have made my knife
hot."

'I said, "Be quick, then!" With her