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Updated: September 9, 2025
"Atam-or," said she, "I never loved death like the rest of the Kosekin; but now but now I feel that death with you would be sweet." Then tears came to her eyes, and I found tears coming to my own, so that I had to stoop down and kiss away the tears of Layelah. As I did so she twined both her arms around my neck, held me close to her, and sighed. "Oh, Atam-or, death with you is sweet!
The other athalebs went ahead, at long intervals apart, flying in a straight line, while ours was last. Layelah said nothing. She sat in front of me; her back was turned toward me; she held in her hands the reins, which hung quite loose at first, but after a while she drew them up, and seemed to be directing our course.
This one has been in service here for a hundred seasons and more." At this I began to regain my confidence, and as Layelah moved nearer to the athaleb I accompanied her. A nearer view, however, was by no means reassuring. The dragon look of the athaleb was stronger than ever, for I could see that all its body was covered with scales.
"Why, that's downright bigamy!" exclaimed Layelah with fresh laughter. "Why, Atam-or, you're mad!" and so she went off again in fresh peals of laughter. It was evident that my proposal was not at all shocking, but simply comical, ridiculous, and inconceivable in its absurdity.
And yet where else could we go? "You do not know where lie the lands of the Orin," said Layelah. "The athaleb does not know. You could not guide him if you did know. You are helpless on his back. The art of driving an athaleb is difficult, and cannot be learned without long and severe practice. My fear was that the athaleb might break away from you and return, leaving you to perish here.
Each jom as it came and went brought us nearer to that awful time, and the hour was surely coming when we should be taken to the outer square and to the top of the pyramid of sacrifice. Once Layelah sat for some time silent and involved in thought. At length she began to speak to me. "Almah," said she, "is very different from us. She loves you and you love her. She ought to give you up.
For some time I did not notice anything in particular, for my eyes were fixed upon the athaleb immediately before us, upon which was seated the loved form of Almah, which I could easily recognize. But our athaleb flew slowly, and I noticed that we were falling behind. I said this to Layelah, but she only remarked that it was fatigued with its long journey.
But Layelah was quite ready with her reply. "If you love Almah," said she, "that is the very reason why you should marry me." This made me feel more embarrassed than ever. I stammered something about my own feelings the manners and customs of my race and the fear that I had of acting against my own principles. "Besides," I added, "I'm afraid it would make you unhappy."
This I seized, and by means of it drew myself with Layelah alongside; after which I succeeded in putting her on the back of the animal, and soon followed myself. The terror of the rifle had overwhelmed her, and the suddenness of the catastrophe had almost killed her. She had struggled in the water for a long time, and had called to me in vain.
Then she fastened a collar around his neck, to which there was attached a grappling-iron. "We seat ourselves on his back," said Layelah. "I guide with these reins. When we land anywhere I fasten him with the grapple. He looks dull now, but if I were to open the gate and remove his muzzle he would be off like the wind." "But can he carry both of us?" I asked. "Easily," said Layelah.
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