towards us. His milk-white body was speckled all over with jewelled
scales, and shone with a pale blue phosphorescence; his eyes blazed in
his head like twin carbuncles, and in spite of my instinctive dread of
snakes, I could not help admiring his repulsive beauty. Presently he
reared his long neck, and faced us with his forked tongue playing out
and in. I shrank back, for I thought he was about to spring upon me; but
Alumion, laughing gaily at my fears, stepped quickly up to him, and
stroked him with her hand. The serpent laid his head caressingly upon
her shoulder and emitted a low faint note of pleasure.

Alumion then took a shallow dish or patera, and, filling it from a vase
which she carried with her set it upon the floor for the snake to feed.

"You don't seem to be afraid of that gruesome reptile," said I
pleasantly.

"Oh, no," she replied smiling. "Siloo knows me very well."

"Tell me, was it he who made the music a little while ago?"

"Yes, and also the noise which alarmed you the first night you wandered
here. The music comes from his head, and the noise is from his tail.
That is why we call him Siloo."

The word, as nearly as I can translate it, means harmony, order,
measure, proportion, in the Womla tongue.

"Does he always live in this cave?"

"Yes, he is a sacred animal with us, and long ago was worshipped and