and as a favour at this tide. Be swift.'

'In what manner is it best to set about the task.' said I, 'O chiefest
of those who string pearls with their tongue?'

'How do I know? Yet'--he thought for a little--'how should I not know?
God has made very many heads, but there is only one heart in all the
world among your people or my people. They are children in the matter of
tales.'

'But none are so terrible as the little ones, if a man misplace a word,
or in a second telling vary events by so much as one small devil.'

'Ay, I also have told tales to the little ones, but do thou this--' His
old eyes fell on the gaudy paintings of the wall, the blue and red dome,
and the flames of the poinsettias beyond. 'Tell them first of those
things that thou hast seen and they have seen together. Thus their
knowledge will piece out thy imperfections. Tell them of what thou alone
hast seen, then what thou hast heard, and since they be children tell
them of battles and kings, horses, devils, elephants, and angels, but
omit not to tell them of love and suchlike. All the earth is full of
tales to him who listens and does not drive away the poor from his door.
The poor are the best of tale-tellers; for they must lay their ear to
the ground every night.'

After this conversation the idea grew in my head, and Gobind was
pressing in his inquiries as to the health of the book.

Later, when we had been parted for months, it happened that I was to go
away and far off, and I came to bid Gobind good-bye.