to him, 'You
will find a fresh baking of bread and a meat-pie in the larder.'"

The Shepherd of Clouds fixed his deep, solemn gaze upon Giles and said:--

"Mortal, I have hearkened to your story and to the words of my faithful
Eye-o, who sees all things that happen in the whole wide world; I have
paid heed to the words of Ear-o, who hears all things that are to be
heard under the sun. Chance has led you to discover the secret of the
weather. Nevermore must you revisit the lower world. Here shall you stay
till Death overtakes you. Obey me, and I will give you happiness and
honor; seek to escape, and my lightnings will find you wheresoever you
may hide."

"Oh, no! no! no!" cried poor Giles, throwing himself down before the
throne. "Great Shepherd of Clouds, do not keep me here. Let me return to
my cottage on the plain, to Phyllida who waits for me, and knows not
whither I am gone or whether I am living or dead. Oh, let me go, let me
go!"

But the Shepherd only shook his head austerely, and rising from his
throne, disappeared behind the rose-gray curtains. Again the mountain
elves sang, and as they sang, the great hall slowly grew darker than the
darkest night, and cold gusts of wind arose wailing in the darkness.
Presently Giles felt his body grow weak, strong hands seized him and
bore him up, and an instant later a deep sleep blotted out the world.

When he awoke, he found himself in a little room. Dawn was at hand, and
the sweet, cold mountain air was blowing through the eastern window.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and Eye-o and Ear-o entered.

"The sun is rising, Giles," said Ear-o, "and your appointed task awaits
you. The Shepherd wishes the clouds released at once. Hurry, hurry,
hurry, Giles, and open their prison-door."

So Giles went forth with the elves. Over the summit of the mountain they
ran, along a path which wandered here and there--now dodging between
huge boulders, now skirting terrible precipices. Presently Giles saw a
monstrous wall of rock rising before him, in which were fixed two brazen
doors taller and more stately than he had ever seen in the world below.
Beside these doors, a flight of steps began, which led to the top of the
wall.

Curious to see what lay behind the wall and the closed doors, Giles
hurried to the top. He found himself standing at the brink of a great
bowl, many miles wide and many miles long, hollowed out of the very rock
of the mountaintop. Within this bowl, like a gia