huddled at the rise of the great sky.
There were men whose famous names
we knew, and others from distant
lands whose names we had not heard.
We saw a great painting on the wall
over their heads, of the twenty illustrious
men who had invented the candle.

All the heads of the Council turned to us
as we entered. These great and wise of the
earth did not know what to think of us,
and they looked upon us with wonder and
curiosity, as if we were a miracle.
It is true that our tunic was torn and
stained with brown stains which had been blood.
We raised our right arm and we said:

"Our greeting to you, our honored
brothers of the World Council of Scholars!"

Then Collective 0-0009, the oldest and
wisest of the Council, spoke and asked:

"Who are you, our brother? For you do
not look like a Scholar."

"Our name is Equality 7-2521," we answered,
"and we are a Street Sweeper of this City."

Then it was as if a great wind had stricken