114. The Seven Years of Seeking

ing; and the radiant figures were changed
into dark shapes crowned with fire; and the
song of longing and love became a wailing
and gnashing of teeth. The island vanished
away in rolling smoke; and the boat burned
down like a darkening ember; and the Sea-
farers in their ship were once more alone in
the wilderness of waters.

Long they prayed that night, praising God
that they had escaped the snares and enchant-
ments of the fiends. And Serapion, drawing
the lad to him, kissed him, saying: ‘ God
be with thee, little brother, in thy uprising
and thy down-lying! God be with thee,

little son!”

After this they were again driven into the
south for many a day, and saw no earthly
shore, but everywhere unending waters. A
great wonderment to them was this immen-
sity of the sea of ocean, wherein the land
seemed a little thing lost for ever. And ever
as they drove onward, the pilot star of the
north was steadfast no longer, but sank lower
and still lower in the heavens, and many of
the everlasting lights, which at home they
had seen swing round it through the livelong