Chapter III

           Thecommonestdreamofmyearlychildhoodwassomethinglikethis:ItseemedthatIwasverysmallandthatIlaycurledupinasortofnestoftwigsandboughs.SometimesIwaslyingonmyback.InthispositionitseemedthatIspentmanyhours,watchingtheplayofsunlightonthefoliageandthestirringoftheleavesbythewind.Oftenthenestitselfmovedbackandforthwhenthewindwasstrong.

           Butalways,whilesolyinginthenest,Iwasmasteredasoftremendousspacebeneathme.Ineversawit,Ineverpeeredovertheedgeofthenesttosee;butIKNEWandfearedthatspacethatlurkedjustbeneathmeandthateverthreatenedmelikeamawofsomeall-devouringmonster.

           Thisdream,inwhichIwasquiescentandwhichwasmorelikeaconditionthananexperienceofaction,Idreamedveryofteninmyearlychildhood.Butsuddenly,therewouldrushintotheverymidstofitstrangeformsandferocioushappenings,thethunderandcrashingofstorm,orunfamiliarlandscapessuchasinmywake-a-daylifeIhadneverseen.Theresultwasconfusionandnightmare.Icouldcomprehendnothingofit.Therewasnologicofsequence.

           Yousee,Ididnotdreamconsecutively.OnemomentIwasaweebabeoftheYoungerWorldlyinginmytreenest;thenextmomentIwasagrownmanoftheYoungerWorldlockedincombatwiththehideousRed-Eye;andthenextmomentIwascreepingcarefullydowntothewater-holeintheheatoftheday.Events,yearsapartintheiroccurrenceintheYoungerWorld,occurredwithmewithinthespaceofseveralminutes,orseconds.

           Itwasallajumble,butthisjumbleIshallnotinflictuponyou.