red: 'We are not of the race of the people of
Babbulkund, but were captured in youth and taken away from the hills
that are to the northward. Now we have all seen in visions of the
stillness the Lord the God of our people calling to us from His
hills, and therefore we all flee northwards. But in Babbulkund King
Nehemoth hath been troubled in the nights by unkingly dreams of
doom, and none may interpret what the dreams portend. Now this is
the dream that King Nehemoth dreamed on the first night of his
dreaming. He saw move through the stillness a bird all black, and
beneath the beatings of his wings Babbulkund gloomed and darkened;
and after him flew a bird all white, beneath the beatings of whose
wings Babbulkund gleamed and shone; and there flew by four more
birds alternately black and white. And, as the black ones passed
Babbulkund darkened, and when the white ones appeared her streets
and houses shone. But after the sixth bird there came no more, and
Babbulkund vanished from her place, and there was only the empty
desert where she had stood, and the rivers Oonrana and Plegathanees
mourning alone. Next morning all the prophets of the King gathered
before their abominations and questioned them of the dream, and the
abominations spake not. But when the second night stepped down from
the halls of God, dowered with many stars, King Nehemoth dreamed
again; and in this dream King Nehemoth saw four birds only, black
and white alternately as before. And Babbulkund darkened again as
the black ones passed, and shone when the white came by; only after
the four birds came no more, and Babbulkund vanished from her place,
leaving only the forgetful desert and the mourning rivers.

'Still the abominations spake not, and none could interpret the
dream. And when the third night came forth from the divine halls
of her home dowered like her sisters, again King Nehemoth dreamed.
And he saw a bird all black go by again, beneath whom Babbulkund
darkened, and then a white bird and Babbulkund shone; and after them
came no more, and Babbulkund passed away. And the golden day
appeared, dispelling dreams, and still the abominations were silent,
and the King's prophets answered not to portend the omen of the
dream. One prophet only spake before the King, saying: "The sable
birds, O King, are the nights, and the white birds are the
days. . ." This thing the King had feared, and he arose and smote the
prophet with his sword, whose so