from aged men in so remote a city?



OF THE THING THAT IS NEITHER GOD NOR BEAST


Seeing that wisdom is not in cities nor happiness in wisdom, and
because Yadin the prophet was doomed by the gods ere he was born
to go in search of wisdom, he followed the caravans to Bodrahan.
There in the evening, where the camels rest, when the wind of the
day ebbs out into the desert sighing amid the palms its last
farewells and leaving the caravans still, he sent his prayer with
the wind to drift into the desert calling to Hoodrazai.

And down the wind his prayer went calling: "Why do the gods
endure, and play their game with men? Why doth not Skarl forsake
his drumming, and MANA cease to rest?" and the echo of seven
deserts answered: "Who knows? Who knows?"

But out in the waste, beyond the seven deserts where Ranorada
looms enormous in the dusk, at evening his prayer was heard; and
from the rim of the waste whither had gone his prayer, came three
flamingoes flying, and their voices said: "Going South, Going
South" at every stroke of their wings.

But as they passed by the prophet they seemed so cool and free and
the desert so blinding and hot that he stretched up his arms
towards them. Then it seemed happy to fly and pleasant to follow
behind great white wings, and he was with the three flamingoes up