Chapter 11
The islandFarla was thirsty and she had walked a long way. The village she was approaching looked deserted; the inhabitants, no doubt, were out in the fields at this time of day. She saw that a little stream ran below the group of houses with a well-worn path leading to it. She followed this and knelt down on a flat rock by the water’s edge, cupping her hands to drink. Suddenly she felt that she was being observed and she looked up. On the other side of the stream a strange figure was standing: an old woman with fine white hair spread around her like a cloak and a hat in the shape of an owl’s head. Farla called out at once, greeting her and asking her where the rest of the villagers had gone. The woman didn’t reply, but just stood staring at her. Farla stooped to drink from the
