CHAPTER X.
1 The beginning of Flag Days. 7 The nature thereof. 10The plight of the males. 14 Their efforts to escape. 17 The generosity of the people. 19 The disadvantage of a new alliance.
Now it came to pass that those who were in the land of En made them a custom, and they did sanctify certain days of the year unto charity.
2 And the days that were sanctified they did call Flag Days.
3 Now these are certain of the Flag Days that were set aside unto charity in the land of En in the days of the Great War.
4 There was Our Day, and Star and Garter Day, and Roll of Honour Day, and Red Cross Day, and Blue Cross Day.
5 And there was France's Day, and Russia's Day, and Serbia's Day, and Italy's Day, and Montenegro's Day, and Roumania's Day, and Portugal's Day.
6 And there were other Flag Days in great number so that I, even I, Artemas, the scribe, remember not one half.
7 ¶ And on a day that was a Flag Day the young maidens of the cities would gather themselves together ere the morning was weaned, and they would set out.
8 And they would hie them unto the populous places of the cities and they would place themselves in ambush behind the corners of the streets; yea, each one would take unto herself a certain corner as her own, and she would lie low.
9 And when any man approached nigh unto the place where she was hid, then would she spring out on a sudden and she would tackle him.
10 ¶ And she would pin a flag unto his garment, even unto the lapel of his coat would she pin her flag; and whatsoever money he did have for to buy him bread, that would she take from his pouch for to pay her, wherefore he needs did fast.
11 And there was no way of escape open unto him, for the young girls of that time were a slim lot and they knew the manner of working it.
12 And so it came to pass that, when the night was come, the damsels that had sold them flags were bowed down beneath a great weight of gold. And the men that had paid, these were sent empty away.
13 And they returned unto their habitations, each man being wonderfully adorned; yea, from the crowns of their heads unto the turn-up of their nether garments were they gay with coloured flags.
14 ¶ Now there were certain men that, seeking to throw dust in the eyes of the sellers of flags, did build them dungeons underneath the ground, saying, with a sly look, It will be a safe place if, perchance, a Zeppelin cometh nigh.
15 Nevertheless, on a night when the Zeppelins did hover above them, then were they on the roofs of their habitations with glasses that did magnify;
16 But on the days that were Flag Days, then did they betake themselves stealthily away and they did hide in the far corner of the Zeppelin dungeon that was deepest down.
17 ¶ And because much good flowed from the Flag Days, and because the number of mites that was gathered in was very great, therefore did the people stick them, each man giving according to his means.
18 Yea, even those that did retire unto their Zeppelin cellars did give to an extent, for the young girls followed them thitherwards, so that there was no means of escape left unto them; verily, they were like unto a spider that is caught in the meshes of its own web.
19 ¶ Wherefore it came to pass that when another nation did join with the people of En, and did fight with them against the men of Hu, there were some in the land that did foresee things, and their hearts misgave them.
20 And when one spake chidingly unto them, saying, Why do ye not rejoice, O men of little satisfaction? Behold, there is yet another that fighteth with us. Then would they make answer and would say, Assuredly is there another ally come to join us. And there is also another Flag Day that bringeth greater persecution at the corners of the streets. And they were full of foreboding concerning it.
21 But the Flag Days found favour amongst the women of the land, for then was man delivered into their hands and they needed not to spare him.