The　old　man　smiled。
  〃Her　name　is　Truth。　　He　who　has　once　seen　her　never　rests　again。　　Till　death　he　desires　her。〃
  And　the　hunter　cried：
  〃Oh；　tell　me　where　I　may　find　her。〃
  But　the　old　man　said：
  〃You　have　not　suffered　enough；〃　and　went。
  Then　the　hunter　took　from　his　breast　the　shuttle　of　Imagination；　and　wound　on　it　the　thread　of　his　Wishes；　and　all　night　he　sat　and　wove　a　net。
  In　the　morning　he　spread　the　golden　net　upon　the　ground；　and　into　it　he　threw　a　few　grains　of　credulity；　which　his　father　had　left　him；　and　which　he　kept　in　his　breast…pocket。　　They　were　like　white　puff…balls；　and　when　you　trod　on　them　a　brown　dust　flew　out。　　Then　he　sat　by　to　see　what　would　happen。　　The　first　that　came　into　the　net　was　a　snow…white　bird；　with　dove's　eyes；　and　he　sang　a　beautiful　song〃A　human…God！　a　human…God！　a　human…God！〃　it　sang。　　The　second　that　came　was　black　and　mystical；　with　dark；　lovely　eyes；　that　looked　into　the　depths　of　your　soul；　and　he　sang　only　this〃Immortality！〃
  And　the　hunter　took　them　both　in　his　arms；　for　he　said
  〃They　are　surely　of　the　beautiful　family　of　Truth。〃
  Then　came　another；　green　and　gold；　who　sang　in　a　shrill　voice；　like　one　crying　in　the　marketplace；〃Reward　after　Death！　　Reward　after　Death！〃
  And　he　said
  〃You　are　not　so　fair；　but　you　are　fair　too；〃　and　he　took　it。
  And　others　came；　brightly　coloured；　singing　pleasant　songs；　till　all　the　grains　were　finished。　　And　the　hunter　gathered　all　his　birds　together；　and　built　a　strong　iron　cage　called　a　new　creed；　and　put　all　his　birds　in　it。
  Then　the　people　came　about　dancing　and　singing。
  〃Oh；　happy　hunter！〃　they　cried。　　〃Oh；　wonderful　man！　　Oh；　delightful　birds！　　Oh；　lovely　songs！〃
  No　one　asked　where　the　birds　had　come　from；　nor　how　they　had　been　caught；　but　they　danced　and　sang　before　them。　　And　the　hunter　too　was　glad；　for　he　said：
  〃Surely　Truth　is　among　them。　　In　time　she　will　moult　her　feathers；　and　I　shall　see　her　snow…white　form。〃
  But　the　time　passed；　and　the　people　sang　and　danced；　but　the　hunter's　heart　grew　heavy。　　He　crept　alone；　as　of　old；　to　weep；　the　terrible　desire　had　awakened　again　in　his　breast。　　One　day；　as　he　sat　alone　weeping；　it　chanced　that　Wisdom　met　him。　　He　told　the　old　man　what　he　had　done。
  And　Wisdom　smiled　sadly。
  〃Many　men；〃　he　said；　〃have　spread　that　net　for　Truth；　but　they　have　never　found　her。　　On　the　grains　of　credulity　she　will　not　feed；　in　the　net　of　wishes　her　feet　cannot　be　held；　in　the　air　of　these　valleys　she　will　not　breathe。　　The　birds　you　have　caught　are　of　the　brood　of　Lies。　　Lovely　and　beautiful；　but　still　lies；　Truth　knows　them　not。〃
  And　the　hunter　cried　out　in　bitterness
  〃And　must　I　then　sit　still；　to　be　devoured　of　this　great　burning？〃
  And　the　old　man　said；
  〃Listen；　and　in　that　you　have　suffered　much　and　wept　much；　I　will　tell　you　what　I　know。　　He　who　sets　out　to　search　for　Truth　must　leave　these　valleys　of　superstition　forever；　taking　with　him　not　one　shred　that　has　belonged　to　them。　　Alone　he　must　wander　down　into　the　Land　of　Absolute　Negation　and　Denial；　he　must　abide　there；　he　must　resist　temptation；　when　the　light　breaks　he　must　arise　and　follow　it　into　the　country　of　dry　sunshine。　　The　mountains　of　stern　reality　will　rise　before　him；　he　must　climb　them；　beyond　them　lies　Truth。〃
  〃And　he　will　hold　her　fast！　he　will　hold　her　in　his　hands！〃　the　hunter　cried。
  Wisdom　shook　his　head。
  〃He　will　never　see　her；　never　hold　her。　　The　time　is　not　yet。〃
  〃Then　there　is　no　hope？〃　cried　the　hunter。
  〃There　is　this；〃　said　Wisdom：　　〃Some　men　have　climbed　on　those　mountains；　circle　above　circle　of　bare　rock　they　have　scaled；　and；　wandering　there；　in　those　high　regions；　some　have　chanced　to　pick　up　on　the　ground　one　white　silver　feather；　dropped　from　the　wing　of　Truth。　　And　it　shall　come　to　pass；〃　said　the　old　man；　raising　himself　prophetically　and　pointing　with　his　finger　to　the　sky；　〃it　shall　come　to　pass；　that　when　enough　of　those　silver　feathers　shall　have　been　gathered　by　the　hands　of　men；　and　shall　have　been　woven　into　a　cord；　and　the　cord　into　a　net；　that　in　that　net　Truth　may　be　captured。　　Nothing　but　Truth　can　hold　Truth。〃
  The　hunter　arose。　　〃I　will　go；〃　he　said。
  But　wisdom　detained　him。
  〃Mark　you　wellwho　leaves　these　valleys　never　returns　to　them。　　Though　he　should　weep　tears　of　blood　seven　days　and　nights　upon　the　confines；　he　can　never　put　his　foot　across　them。　　Leftthey　are　left　forever。　　Upon　the　road　which　you　would　travel　there　is　no　reward　offered。　　Who　goes；　goes　freelyfor　the　great　love　that　is　in　him。　　The　work　is　his　reward。〃
  〃I　go〃　said　the　hunter；　〃but　upon　the　mountains；　tell　me；　which　path　shall　I　take？〃
  〃I　am　the　child　of　The…Accumulated…Knowledge…of…Ages；〃　said　the　man；　〃I　can　walk　only　where　many　men　have　trodden。　　On　these　mountains　few　feet　have　passed；　each　man　strikes　out　a　path　for　himself。　　He　goes　at　his　own　peril：　　my　voice　he　hears　no　more。　　I　may　follow　after　him；　but　cannot　go　before　him。〃
  Then　Knowledge　vanished。
  And　the　hunter　turned。　　He　went　to　his　cage；　and　with　his　hands　broke　down　the　bars；　and　the　jagged　iron　tore　his　flesh。　　It　is　sometimes　easier　to　build　than　to　break。
  One　by　one　he　took　his　plumed　birds　and　let　them　fly。　　But　when　he　came　to　his　dark…plumed　bird　he　held　it；　and　looked　into　its　beautiful　eyes；　and　the　bird　uttered　its　low；　deep　cry〃Immortality！〃
  And　he　said　quickly：　　〃I　cannot　part　with　it。　　It　is　not　heavy；　it　eats　no　food。　　I　will　hide　it　in　my　breast；　I　will　take　it　with　me。〃　　And　he　buried　it　there　and　covered　it　over　with　his　cloak。
  But　the　thing　he　had　hidden　grew　heavier；　heavier；　heaviertill　it　lay　on　his　breast　like　lead。　　He　could　not　move　with　it。　　He　could　not　leave　those　valleys　with　it。　　Then　again　he　took　it　out　and　looked　at　it。
  〃Oh；　my　beautiful！　my　heart's　own！〃　he　cried；　〃may　I　not　keep　you？〃
  He　opened　his　hands　sadly。
  〃Go！〃　he　said。　　〃It　may　happen　that　in　Truth's　song　one　note　is　like　yours；　but　I　shall　never　hear　it。〃
  Sadly　he　opened　his　hand；　and　the　bird　flew　from　him　forever。
  Then　from　the　shuttle　of　Imagination　he　took　the　thread　of　his　wishes；　and　threw　it　on　the　ground；　and　the　empty　shuttle　he　put　into　his　breast；　for　the　thread　was　made　in　those　valleys；　but　the　shuttle　came　from　an　unknown　country。　　He　turned　to　go；　but　now　the　people　came　about　him；　howling。
  〃Fool；　hound；　demented　lunatic！〃　they　cried。　　〃How　dared　you　break　your　cage　and　let　the　birds　fly？'
  The　hunter　spoke；　but　they　would　not　hear　him。
  〃Truth！　who　is　she？　　Can　you　eat　her？　can　you　drink　her？　　Who　has　ever　seen　her？　　Your　birds　were　real：　　all　could　hear　them　sing！　　Oh；　fool！　vile　reptile！　atheist！〃　they　cried；　〃you　pollute　the　air。〃
  〃Come；　let　us　take　up　stones　and　stone　him；〃　cried　some。
  〃What　affair　is　it　of　ours？〃　said　others。　　〃Let　the　idiot　go；〃　and　went　away。　　But　the　rest　gathered　up　stones　and　mud　and　threw　at　him。　　At　last；　when　he　was　bruised　and　cut；　the　hunter　crept　away　into　the　woods。　　And　it　was　evening　about　him。
  He　wandered　on　and　on；　and　the　shade　grew　deeper。　　He　was　on　the　borders　now　of　the　land　where　it　is　always　night。　　Then　he　stepped　into　it；　and　there　was　no　light　there。　　With　his　hands　he　groped；　but　each　branch　as　he　touched　it　broke　off；　and　the　earth　was　covered　with　cinders。　At　every　step　his　foot　sank　in；　and　a　fine　cloud　of　impalpable　ashes　flew　up　into　his　face；　and　it　was　dark。　　So　he　sat　down　upon　a　stone　and　buried　his　face　in　his　hands；　to　wait　in　the　Land　of　Negation　and　Denial　till　the　light　came。
  And　it　was　night　in　his　heart　also。
  Then　from　the　marshes　to　his　right　and　left　cold　mists　arose　and　closed　about　him。　　A　fine；　imperceptible　rain　fell　in　the　dark；　and　great　drops　gathered　on　his　hair　and　clothes。　　His　heart　beat　slowly；　and　a　numbness　crept　through　all　his　limbs。　　Then；　looking　up；　two　merry　wisp　lights　came　dancing。　　He　lifted　his　head　to　look　at　them。　　Nearer；　nearer　they　came。　　So　warm；　so　bright；　they　danced　like　stars　of　fire。　　They　stood　before　him　at　last。　　From　the　centre　of　the　radiating　flame　in　one　looked　out　a　woman's　face；　laughing；　dimpled；　with　streaming　yellow　hair。　　In　the　centre　of　the　other　were　merry　laughing　ripples；　like　the　bubbles　on　a　glass　of　wine。　　They　danced　before　him。
  〃Who　are　you；〃　asked　the　hunter；　〃who　alone　come　to　me　in　my　solitude　and　darkness？〃
  〃We　are　the　twins　Sensuality；〃　they　cried。　　〃Our　father's　name　is　Human…　Nature；　and　our　mother's　name　is　Excess。　　We　are　as　old　as　the　hills　and　rivers；　as　old　as　the　first　man；　but　we　never　die；〃　they　laughed。
  〃Oh；　let　me　wrap　my　arms　about　you！〃　cried　the　first；　〃they　are　soft　and　warm。　　Your　heart　is　frozen　now；　but　I　will　make　it　beat。　　Oh；　come　to　me！〃
  〃I　will　pour　my　hot　life　into　you；〃　said　the　second；　〃your　brain　is　numb；　and　your　limbs　are　dead　now；　but　they　shall　live　with　a　fierce　free　life。　　Oh；　let　me　pour　it　in！〃
  〃Oh；　follow　us；〃　they　cried；　〃and　live　with　us。　　Nobler　hearts　than　yours　have　sat　here　in　this　darkness　to　wait；　and　they　have　come　to　us　and　we　to　them；　and　they　have　never　left　us；　never。　　All　else　is　a　delusion；　but　we　are　real；　we　are　real；　we　are　real。　　Truth　is　a　shadow；　the　valleys　of　superstition　are　a　farce：　　the　earth　is　of　ashes；　the　trees　all　rotten；　b