hnau that would blacken
the world. And I say also this. I do not think the forest would be so bright, nor the water
so warm, nor love so sweet, if there were no danger in the lakes. I will tell you a day in
my life that has shaped me; such a day as comes only once, like love, or serving Oyarsa in
Meldilorn. Then I was young, not much more than a cub, when I went far, far up the handramit
to the land where stars shine at midday and even water is cold. A great waterfall I climbed.
I stood on the shore of Balki the pool, which is the place of most awe in all worlds. The
walls of it go up for ever and ever and huge and holy images are cut in them, the work of
old times. There is the fall called the Mountain of Water. Because I have stood there alone,
Maleldil and I, for even Oyarsa sent me no word, my heart has been higher, my song deeper,
all my days. But do you think it would have been so unless I had known that in Balki
hneraki dwelled? There I drank life because death was in the pool. That was the best of
drinks save one.
'What one?' asked Ransom.
'Death itself in the day I drink it and go to Maleldil.'
Shortly after that they rose and resumed their work. The sun was declining as they came back
through the wood. It occurred to Ransom to ask Hyoi a question.
'Hyoi,' he said, 'it comes into my head that when I first saw you and before you saw me,
you were already speaking. That was how I knew that you were hnau, for otherwise I should
have thought you a beast, and run away. But who were you speaking to?'
'To an eldil.'
'What is that? I saw no one.
'Are there no eldila in your world, Hman? That must be strange.'
'But what are they?'
'They come from Oyarsa - they are, I suppose, a kind of hnau.'
'As we came out today I passed a child who said she was taking to an eldil, but I
could see nothing.'
'One can see by looking at your eyes, Hman, that they are different from ours. But eldila are
hard to see. They are not like us. Light goes through them. You must be looking in the right
place and the right time; and that is not likely to come about unless the eldil wishes to be
seen. Sometimes you can mistake them for a sunbeam or even a movmg of the leaves; but when
you look again you see that it was an eldil and that it is gone. But whether your eyes can
ever see them I do not know. The seroni would know that.'
XIII
----
THE WHOLE village was astir next morning before the sunlight - already visible on the harandra -
had penetrated the forest. By the light of the cooking fires Ransom saw an incessant activity
of hrossa. The females were pouring out steaming food from clumsy pots; Hnohra was directing
the transportation of piles of spears to the boats; Hyoi, in the midst of a group of the most
experienced hunters, was talking too rapidly and too technically for Ransom to follow;
parties were arriving from the neighbouring villages; and the cubs, squeallng with excitement,
were running hither and thither among their elders.
He found that his own share in the hunt had been taken for granted. He was to be in Hyoi's
boat, with Hyoi and Whin. The two hrossa would take it in turns to paddle, while Ransom and
the disengaged hross would be in the bows. He understood the hrossa well enough to know that
they were making him the noblest offer in their power, and that Hyoi and Whin were each
tormented by the fear lest he should be paddling when the hnakra appeared. A short time ago,
in England, nothing would have seemed more impossible to Ransom than to accept the post of
honour and danger in an attack upon an unknown but certainly deadly aquatic monster. Even more
recently, when he had first fled from the sorns or when he had lain pitying himself in the forest
by night, it would hardly have been in his power to do what he was intending to do today. For
his intention was clear. Whatever happened, he must show that the human species also were hnau.
He was only too well aware that such resolutions
the world. And I say also this. I do not think the forest would be so bright, nor the water
so warm, nor love so sweet, if there were no danger in the lakes. I will tell you a day in
my life that has shaped me; such a day as comes only once, like love, or serving Oyarsa in
Meldilorn. Then I was young, not much more than a cub, when I went far, far up the handramit
to the land where stars shine at midday and even water is cold. A great waterfall I climbed.
I stood on the shore of Balki the pool, which is the place of most awe in all worlds. The
walls of it go up for ever and ever and huge and holy images are cut in them, the work of
old times. There is the fall called the Mountain of Water. Because I have stood there alone,
Maleldil and I, for even Oyarsa sent me no word, my heart has been higher, my song deeper,
all my days. But do you think it would have been so unless I had known that in Balki
hneraki dwelled? There I drank life because death was in the pool. That was the best of
drinks save one.
'What one?' asked Ransom.
'Death itself in the day I drink it and go to Maleldil.'
Shortly after that they rose and resumed their work. The sun was declining as they came back
through the wood. It occurred to Ransom to ask Hyoi a question.
'Hyoi,' he said, 'it comes into my head that when I first saw you and before you saw me,
you were already speaking. That was how I knew that you were hnau, for otherwise I should
have thought you a beast, and run away. But who were you speaking to?'
'To an eldil.'
'What is that? I saw no one.
'Are there no eldila in your world, Hman? That must be strange.'
'But what are they?'
'They come from Oyarsa - they are, I suppose, a kind of hnau.'
'As we came out today I passed a child who said she was taking to an eldil, but I
could see nothing.'
'One can see by looking at your eyes, Hman, that they are different from ours. But eldila are
hard to see. They are not like us. Light goes through them. You must be looking in the right
place and the right time; and that is not likely to come about unless the eldil wishes to be
seen. Sometimes you can mistake them for a sunbeam or even a movmg of the leaves; but when
you look again you see that it was an eldil and that it is gone. But whether your eyes can
ever see them I do not know. The seroni would know that.'
XIII
----
THE WHOLE village was astir next morning before the sunlight - already visible on the harandra -
had penetrated the forest. By the light of the cooking fires Ransom saw an incessant activity
of hrossa. The females were pouring out steaming food from clumsy pots; Hnohra was directing
the transportation of piles of spears to the boats; Hyoi, in the midst of a group of the most
experienced hunters, was talking too rapidly and too technically for Ransom to follow;
parties were arriving from the neighbouring villages; and the cubs, squeallng with excitement,
were running hither and thither among their elders.
He found that his own share in the hunt had been taken for granted. He was to be in Hyoi's
boat, with Hyoi and Whin. The two hrossa would take it in turns to paddle, while Ransom and
the disengaged hross would be in the bows. He understood the hrossa well enough to know that
they were making him the noblest offer in their power, and that Hyoi and Whin were each
tormented by the fear lest he should be paddling when the hnakra appeared. A short time ago,
in England, nothing would have seemed more impossible to Ransom than to accept the post of
honour and danger in an attack upon an unknown but certainly deadly aquatic monster. Even more
recently, when he had first fled from the sorns or when he had lain pitying himself in the forest
by night, it would hardly have been in his power to do what he was intending to do today. For
his intention was clear. Whatever happened, he must show that the human species also were hnau.
He was only too well aware that such resolutions
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