enter of a star and brought near Earth to illuminate
it. Never, or seldom, had Earth seen anything like it.

In five days the two small landing craft that had left it arched up from
Earth and joined the orbit of the large ship. The two small craft slid
inside the large one and doors closed behind them. In a short time the
aliens met again.

"We did it," said Bal exultantly as he came in. "I don't know how we did
it and I thought we were going to fail but at the last minute they came
through."

Ethaniel smiled. "I'm tired," he said, rustling.

"Me too, but mostly I'm cold," said Bal, shivering. "Snow. Nothing but
snow wherever I went. Miserable climate. And yet you had me go out
walking after that first day."

"From my own experience it seemed to be a good idea," said Ethaniel. "If
I went out walking one day I noticed that the next day the officials
were much more cooperative. If it worked for me I thought it might help
you."

"It did. I don't know why, but it did," said Bal. "Anyway, this
agreement they made isn't the best but I think it will keep them from
destroying themselves."

"It's as much as we can expect," said Ethaniel. "They may have small
wars after this, but never the big one. In fifty or a hundred years we
can come back and see how much they've learned."

"I'm not sure I want to," said Bal. "Say, what's an angel?"

"Why?"

"When I went out walking people stopped to look. Some knelt in the snow
and called me an angel."

"Something like that happened to me," said Ethaniel.

"I didn't get it but I didn't let it upset me," said Bal. "I smiled at
them and went about my business." He shivered again. "It was always
cold. I walked out, but sometimes I flew back. I hope that was all
right."

In the cabin Bal spread his great wings. Renaissance painters had never
seen his like but knew exactly how he looked. In their paintings they
had pictured him innumerable times.

"I don't think it hurt us that you flew," said Ethaniel. "I did so
myself occasionally."

"But you don't know what an angel is?"

"No. I didn't have time to find out. Some creature of their folklore I
suppose. You know, except for our wings they're very much like
ourselves. Their legends are bound to resemble ours."

"Sure," said Bal. "Anyway, peace on Earth."

THE END

Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from _Amazing Science Fiction Stories_
January 1960. Extensive research did not uncover any evide