“Then there came the ancestors of the⁠—Akka; not as they are now, and glowing but faintly within them the spark of⁠—self-realization. And the Taithu seeing this spark did not slay them. But they took the ancient, long untrodden paths and looked forth once more upon Earth face. Now on the land were vast forests and a chaos of green life. On the shores things scaled and fanged, fought and devoured each other, and in the green life moved bodies great and small that slew and ran from those that would slay.

“They searched for the passage through which the Akka had come and closed it. Then the Three took them and brought them here; and taught them and blew upon the spark until it burned ever stronger and in time they became much as they are now⁠—my Akka.

“The Three took counsel after this and said⁠—‘We have strengthened life in these until it has become articulate; shall we not create life?’ ” Again she hesitated, her eyes rapt, dreaming. “The Three are speaking,” she murmured. “They have my tongue⁠—”