lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was
he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save
that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and
such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.
He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he
went. The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never
hidden, and he steered by it due south. All that day he went, and
found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more
and whiles less steep. A little before nightfall he happened on a
shallow pool some twenty yards over; and he deemed it good to rest
there, since there was water for his avail, though he might have
made somewhat more out of the tail end of the day.

When dawn came again he awoke and arose, nor spent much time over
his breakfast; but pressed on all he might; and now he said to
himself, that whatsoever other peril were athwart his way, he was
out of the danger of the chase of his own folk.

All this while he had seen no four-footed beast, save now and again
a hill-fox, and once some outlandish kind of hare; and of fowl but
very few: a crow or two, a long-winged hawk, and twice an eagle
high up aloft.

Again, the third night, he slept in the stony wilderness, which
still led him up and up. Only toward the end of the day, himseemed
that it had been less steep for a long while: otherwise nought was
changed, on all sides it was nought but the endless neck, wherefrom
nought could be seen, but some other part of itself. This fourth
night withal he found no water whereby he might rest, so that he
awoke parched, and longing to drink just when the dawn was at its