But suddenly, as she ran, the mist was all gone from before her, the
sun shone hot and cloudless; there was no shadow or shape of Habundia
there, nought but the blue lake and the ugly lip of that hideous
desert, with the Sending Boat lying a half score yards from her feet;
and behind her stood up, as it were a wall, the mist from out of
which she had come.
Forsooth Birdalone was too breathless to cry out her joy, but her
heart went nigh to breaking therewith, and lovely indeed to her was
the rippled water and the blue sky; and she knew that her wood-mother
had sped a sending to her help, and she fell a-weeping where she
stood, for love of her wise mother, and for longing to behold her:
she stretched out her arms to the north quarter, and said blessings
on her in a voice faint for weariness. Then she laid her down on the
desert, and rested her with sleep, despite the hot sun, and when she
awoke, some three hours thereafter, all was as before, save that the
sky had now some light-flying clouds, and still was the wall of mist
behind her. Wherefore she deemed she had yet time, and the blue
rippling water wooed her much-besweated limbs; so she did off her
raiment and took the water, and became happy and unweary therein.
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