y it down again. And he beside
me said, "She is very weak. See, her legs have been crushed under her so
long."

And I saw the creature struggle: and the drops stood out on her.

And I said, "Surely he who stands beside her will help her?"

And he beside me answered, "He cannot help her: she must help herself.
Let her struggle till she is strong."

And I cried, "At least he will not hinder her! See, he moves farther
from her, and tightens the cord between them, and he drags her down."

And he answered, "He does not understand. When she moves she draws the
band that binds them, and hurts him, and he moves farther from her. The
day will come when he will understand, and will know what she is doing.
Let her once stagger on to her knees. In that day he will stand close to
her, and look into her eyes with sympathy."

And she stretched her neck, and the drops fell from her. And the
creature rose an inch from the earth and sank back.

And I cried, "Oh, she is too weak! she cannot walk! The long years have
taken all her strength from her. Can she never move?"

And he answered me, "See the light in her eyes!"

And slowly the creature staggered on to its knees.

And I awoke: and all to the east and to the west stretched the barren
earth, with the dry bushes on it. The ants ran up and down in the red
sand, and the heat beat fiercely. I looked up through the thin branches
of the tree at the blue sky overhead. I stretched myself, and I mused
over the dream I had had. And I fell asleep again, with my head on my
saddle. And in the fierce heat I had another dream.

I saw a desert and I saw a woman coming out of it. And she came to the
bank of a dark river; and the bank was steep and high. (The banks of
an African river are sometimes a hundred feet high, and consist of deep
shifting sands, through which in the course of ages the river has worn
its gigantic bed.) And on it an old man met her, who had a long white
beard; and a stick that curled was in his hand, and on it was written
Reason. And he asked her what she wanted; and she said "I am woman; and
I am seeking for the land of Freedom."

And he said, "It is before you."

And she said, "I see nothing before me but a dark flowing river, and
a bank steep and high, and cuttings here and there with heavy sand in
them."

And he said, "And beyond that?"

She said, "I see nothing, but sometimes, when I shade my eyes with my
hand, I think I see on the further bank trees and h