experience and cut their edges with your griefs, and in the end shall
return them again to me."

And thereto the shadows consented, that they might have gleaming Lives
and have shadows for their servants, and this thing became the Law. But
the shadows, each with his Life, departed and came to Zonu and to other
lands, and there with experience they polished the Lives of Yahn, and
cut them with human griefs until they gleamed anew. And ever they found
new scenes to gleam within these Lives, and cities and sails and men
shone in them where there had been before only green fields and sea,
and ever Yahn the usurer cried out to remind them of their bargain.
When men added to their Lives scenes that were pleasant to Yahn, then
was Yahn silent, but when they added scenes that pleased not the eyes
of Yahn, then did he take a toll of sorrow from them because it was the
Law.

But men forgot the usurer, and there arose some claiming to be wise in
the Law, who said that after their labour, which they wrought upon
their Lives, was done, those Lives should be theirs to possess; so men
took comfort from their toil and labour and the grinding and cutting of
their griefs. But as their Lives began to shine with experience of many
things, the thumb and forefinger of Yahn would suddenly close upon a
Life, and the man became a shadow. But away beyond the Rim the shadows
say:

"We have greatly laboured for Yahn, and have gathered griefs in the
world, and caused his Lives to shine, and Yahn doeth nought for us. Far
better had we stayed where no cares are, floating beyond the Rim."

And there the shadows fear lest ever again they be lured by specious