the desert arose and cast over the tomb its wreath of forgetfulness
devised of drifting sand, and the gods strode home across the mountains
to Their hollow land. But Uldoon left the desert and travelled many
days, and so came to the river where it passes beyond the city to seek
the sea, and following its bank came near to his old home. And the
people of the City by the River, seeing him far off, cried out:

"Hast thou found the Secret of the gods?"

And he answered:

"I have found it, and the Secret of the gods is this"--:

Zyni Moe, the small snake, seeing the figure and the shadow of a man
between him and the cool river, raised his head and struck once. And
the gods are pleased with Zyni Moe, and have called him the protector
of the Secret of the gods.




THE SOUTH WIND


Two players sat down to play a game together to while eternity away,
and they chose the gods as pieces wherewith to play their game, and for
their board of playing they chose the sky from rim to rim, whereon lay
a little dust; and every speck of dust was a world upon the board of
playing. And the players were robed and their faces veiled, and the
robes and veils were alike, and their names were Fate and Chance. And