The megarrity took to wandering unseen into the herds of red cattle or among the dirty, shouldering sheep. It fed itself on calves and lambs, but it was tidy, and after it had gnawed them clean and sucked out the marrow, it always piled the white bones together and folded the skin neatly on top.

One day, the farmer took his gun into the trees, for he did not choose to share his calves and lambs. For a long time he rode; when the way grew too rough, he continued on foot, leading his horse.

The megarrity watched from the branches. When it could not help itself, it would echo the fall of the horse’s hoof on a stone, or the snapping of twigs as the farmer pushed them aside. The farmer did not know enough to be suspicious. At last, however, his horse grew nervous. It tossed its head, rolled its eyes and refused to go further. Even so (for horses are sensitive, obstinate animals), the farmer might have disregarded this.

“Hey!” he shouted in surprise when the horse first shied.

“Hey!” called the megarrity. The farmer, trying to calm his mount, did not notice.

“Easy there, old fool,” he said. “Whoa, gentle there.”

(“Old fool—gentle there,” said the megarrity, enjoying itself.)

“Hush,” whispered the farmer, rubbing the hollow above his horse’s eye.

(“Hush,” whispered the megarrity as it leaned down close to hear him.)

Even in country like that, a whisper should not echo. The hairs on the farmer’s back and arms and neck stood on end. But although he had been (until this tale) far too ignorant of megarrities, he was no stupider than most.

“Hullo?” he said.

“Hullo?” said the megarrity.

The farmer looked around. “Who’s there?” he called.

“Who’s there!”

“Come out and face me!” he said.

“Come out and face me!” said the megarrity, hanging head-downward above the man, for all the world like the silver-green swags of leaves.

“You are a coward!” said the farmer.

“You are a coward!” agreed the megarrity (its voice was really very like his).

The horse had grown calmer, although it twitched its ears at every shout, and the farmer shook his head.

“I am a fool,” he said, and the megarrity above him said enthusiastically, “You are a fool!”

The farmer took a great leap backwards and brought up his gun. There was the megarrity, clear as day, grinning at him upside-down with all its bright teeth and all its shining yellow eyes.

“Get out of my forest!” he said.

“My forest!” said the megarrity, swinging on its branch until the tree bent and swayed.

“I have a farm and a house, a wife and a fireside; I had cattle and sheep which you have eaten,” said the farmer. “And I have a gun.”

At that, he fired. He thought he must have hit the megarrity, for it dropped right down out of the trees.