same time reclined himself, leaning on one arm, with outstretched
legs.

"I will tell some incidents of my life. You will begin to learn from
them what sort of place you have come to."

"I shall be grateful," said Maskull, preparing himself to listen.

Panawe paused for a moment or two, and then started his narrative in
tranquil, measured, yet sympathetic tones.

PANAWE'S STORY

"My earliest recollection is of being taken, when three years old
(that's equivalent to fifteen of your years, but we develop more
slowly here), by my father and mother, to see Broodviol, the wisest
man in Tormance. He dwelt in the great Wombflash Forest. We walked
through trees for three days, sleeping at night. The trees grew
taller as we went along, until the tops were out of sight. The
trunks were of a dark red colour and the leaves were of pale ulfire.
My father kept stopping to think. If left uninterrupted, he would
remain for half a day in deep abstraction. My mother came out of
Poolingdred, and was of a different stamp. She was beautiful,
generous, and charming--but also active. She kept urging him on.
This led to many disputes between them, which made me miserable. On
the fourth day we passed through a part of the forest which bordered
on the Sinking Sea. This sea is full of pouches of water that will
not bear a man's weight, and as these light parts don't differ in
appearance from the rest, it is dangerous to cross. My father
pointed out a dim outline on the horizon, and told me it was