Fortunately there were
no rocks here; and, since she was a skilful swimmer, she escaped the
danger of being thrown against the banks.
For a long distance she was borne thus till at length she saw that she
was in a forest, for trees cut off the light from the water, and their
drooping branches swept its surface. One of these Nanea caught with her
hand, and by the help of it she dragged herself from the River of Death
whence none had escaped before. Now she stood upon the bank gasping
but quite unharmed; there was not a scratch on her body; even her white
garment was still fast about her neck.
But though she had suffered no hurt in her terrible voyage, so exhausted
was Nanea that she could scarcely stand. Here the gloom was that of
night, and shivering with cold she looked helplessly to find some
refuge. Close to the water's edge grew an enormous yellow-wood tree,
and to this she staggered--thinking to climb it, and seek shelter in its
boughs where, as she hoped, she would be safe from wild beasts. Again
fortune befriended her, for at a distance of a few feet from the ground
there was a great hole in the tree which, she discovered, was hollow.
Pages:
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98