Cugel made no response, but pressed forward with all speed. The trail left the valley, climbing to a high meadow where the air blew cool. Larch, kaobab and balm-cedar grew to either side, and a stream ran among grasses and herbs. The deodand began to evince uneasiness, jerking at its halter, limping with exaggerated debility. Cugel could see no reason for the display: the countryside, except for the presence of the deodands, seemed without threat. Cugel became impatient. “Why do you delay? I hope to find a mountain hospice before the coming of dark. Your lagging and limping discommode me.”

“You should have considered this before you maimed me with a rock,” said the deodand. “After all, I do not accompany you of my own choice.”

Cugel looked behind. The three deodands who previously had skulked among the rocks now followed quite casually. “You have no control over the grisly appetites of your fellows?” Cugel demanded.

“I have no control over my own,” responded the deodand. “Only the fact of my broken limbs prevents me from leaping at your throat.”

“Do you wish to live?” asked Cugel, putting his hand significantly to sword-hilt.

“To a certain extent, though with not so fervent a yearning as do true men.”

“If you value life even an iota, order your fellows to turn back, to give over their sinister pursuit,”

“It would be a futile exercise. And in any event what is life to you? Look, before you tower the Mountains of Magnatz!”

“Ha!” muttered Cugel. “Did you not claim the repute of the region to be purely fabulous?”

“Exactly; but I did not enlarge upon the nature of the fable.”

As they spoke there catne a swift sigh in the air; looking about, Cugel saw that the three deodands had fallen, transfixed by arrows. From a nearby grove stepped four young men in brown hunting costume. They were of a fair, fresh complexion, brown hair, good stature, and seemed of good disposition.

The foremost called out, “How is it that you come from the uninhabited north? And why do you walk with this dire creature of the night?”

“There is no mystery to either of your questions,” said Cugel. “First, the north is not uninhabited; some hundreds of men yet remain alive. As to this black hybrid of demon and cannibal, I employed it to lead me safely through the mountains, but I am dissatisfied with its services.”

“I did all expected of me,” declared the deodand. “Release me in accordance with our pact.”

“As you will,” said Cugel. He released the halter which secured the creature's throat, and it limped away glaring over its shoulder. Cugel made a sign to the leader of the huntsmen; he spoke a word to his fellows; they raised their bows and shot the deodand with arrows.

Cugel gave a curt nod of approval. “Wbat of yourselves? And what of Magnatz who reputedly makes the mountains unsafe for travel?”