Lilith

I lay on the floor that night hardly able to move, but I slept a good deal, and woke a little refreshed. In the
morning they dragged me to the valley, and tying my feet, with a long rope, to a tree, put a flat stone with a
saw−like edge in my left hand. I shifted it to the right; they kicked me, and put it again in the left; gave me to
understand that I was to scrape the bark off every branch that had no fruit on it; kicked me once more, and
left me.
I set about the dreary work in the hope that by satisfying them I should be left very much to myself−−to make
my observations and choose my time for escape. Happily one of the dwarf−trees grew close by me, and every
other minute I plucked and ate a small fruit, which wonderfully refreshed and strengthened me.
CHAPTER XIII. THE LITTLE ONES
I had been at work but a few moments, when I heard small voices near me, and presently the Little Ones, as I
soon found they called themselves, came creeping out from among the tiny trees that like brushwood filled
the spaces between the big ones. In a minute there were scores and scores about me. I made signs that the
giants had but just left me, and were not far off; but they laughed, and told me the wind was quite clean.
"They are too blind to see us," they said, and laughed like a multitude of sheep−bells.
"Do you like that rope about your ankles?" asked one.
"I want them to think I cannot take it off," I replied.
"They can scarcely see their own feet!" he rejoined. "Walk with short steps and they will think the rope is all
right."
As he spoke, he danced with merriment.
One of the bigger girls got down on her knees to untie the clumsy knot. I smiled, thinking those pretty fingers
could do nothing with it, but in a moment it was loose.
They then made me sit down, and fed me with delicious little fruits; after which the smaller of them began to
play with me in the wildest fashion, so that it was impossible for me to resume my work. When the first grew
tired, others took their places, and this went on until the sun was setting, and heavy steps were heard
approaching. The little people started from me, and I made haste to put the rope round my ankles.
"We must have a care," said the girl who had freed me; "a crush of one of their horrid stumpy feet might kill
a very little one!"
"Can they not perceive you at all then?"
"They might see something move; and if the children were in a heap on the top of you, as they were a
moment ago, it would be terrible; for they hate every live thing but themselves.−−Not that they are much
alive either!"
She whistled like a bird. The next instant not one of them was to be seen or heard, and the girl herself had
disappeared.
Lilith
It was my master, as doubtless he counted himself, come to take me home. He freed my ankles, and dragged
me to the door of his hut; there he threw me on the ground, again tied my feet, gave me a kick, and left me.
Lilith 37