CHAPTER XIV.
1 The implements of war. 8 The engines that did fly. 14 Concerning the Mad Major. 25 The men of En employ tonics. 34 Wherefore the men of Hu cry out.
Now these be the implements of war, and all these things did men use at that time when the nations of the earth banded themselves together for the fight.
2 Now there were guns of great magnitude that did hit hard so that there was nothing that could withstand them, and, against them, the fortifications of the cities were as snow when the sun cometh out.
3 And the guns did scatter death on all sides, above and about, so that there was no living thing left nigh unto the place where they did strike; and the compass of a gun, it was beyond the sight of human eye.
4 And there were mines that the engineers did make them underneath the ground; and all that which was above the ground, that did they scatter unto the heavens so that when it returned again to earth, behold, it was not.
5 Also was there gas, and it was made of a vile poison; and when any man did deeply breathe of it, that man would most assuredly die; and the manner of his death, it was terrible.
6 And they that first made use of the gas that was poison were the men of Hu, for it was in them to do so because their minds did travel unto such things.
7 And there was liquid that was fire, and it was sent against an host for to burn up the flesh of them that came in the way. And this was also from the men of Hu and was bred of their refinement. And neither of these things did the nations of Eur use in any war that they did wage before.
8 ¶ And there were engines that did fly through the air, fearsome weapons of war that did deal out death and destruction from an ambush of clouds.
9 And they were of two kinds. And the Zeps were fat-bellied, being of the men of Hu.
10 These did carry on their goings out a great weight of matter that was death. And they did drop it at a venture so that it fell amongst peaceful dwellers in the land; and the women and children that did perish by this means, it was a great number.
11 And there were also engines that did fly which men called planes: and these were of both sides. And they were speedy things and nimble.
12 And those that did ride in them were brave men and skilful. And the men of Hu prospered not with the planes save only in the flight, at which they were exceeding quick.
13 And so there came a time when the men of Hu forbore to go up into the air for to fight because the hazard of such an enterprise, it was very great.
14 ¶ Now the bravery of the warriors of En that did ride in the planes was in the mouths of all the peoples of the earth. And there was one whom men did call the Mad Major because of his daring.
15 And it was said concerning him that he and death played them a long game wherein the dice were loaded on the side of death.
16 And he would venture forth and would fly from the camp of the men of En until he came unto a place whence he could see the hosts of Hu spread out beneath him.
17 Then would he choose him a target from amongst the strong places that were below, and he would swoop him down on a sudden so that he was but a few cubits on high.
18 And the men of Hu would use all manner of weapons against him, and they would send projectiles that did scatter about for to bring him down amongst them.
19 Yea, from the places that were nigh unto him and from the places that were afar off would they send of their munition, seeking only that they might slay him. And the heavens were filled with a multitude of balls so that men said, Verily, in the place where he is, in that place only is it possible for man to live.
20 And when he that was called the Mad Major was low enough, then would he drop him a bomb. And it came to pass that all that which was underneath, it was destroyed, and the men that were there did assuredly perish.
21 Then would he ascend into the air unto a certain height, for that which he had come for to do, it was done.
22 And he would loop him a loop; yea, even over the hosts of Hu would he loop him a loop, for he was of a merry spirit and it was in him to laugh in this manner.
23 And when he had looped him a loop he would return unto the men of En, and he would say unto them, The bombs that thou gavest unto me went off. Give me, therefore, some more that I may dispose of them in likewise.
24 And he was not alone in the things that he did do, for there were many like unto him. And concerning the deeds of some thou shalt find it writ in the books; but concerning many, thou shalt find no record of their deeds in the chronicles of that time.
25 ¶ And the men of En did make them chariots of strange and wonderful design, and they did call them tanks. And there was no man throughout all the land that did say, I made not this chariot; but every man did draw his neighbour unto the side, and did speak unto him privily, saying, Shush! Let it not be known. I tell thee that I, even I, did take an hand in this thing.
26 And the shape of the tanks was for a long time known only to the few. And some said they were like unto a lizard that is blown out mightily, that walketh as a man plagued with the corns.
27 And others said they were like unto an hippopotamus that doth wobble itself amazingly so that no man knoweth whither it intendeth; yet, of a certainty, doth it get there.
28 And others said they were like unto nothing on earth, being for the most part belly of a fashion that is given unto no living thing.
29 And that which was a shield and a covering unto the tanks was tough past all belief; yea, even the hide of the rhinoceros did not compare unto this. And all the missiles that the men of Hu did send against it were as peas upon a roof that is whole, and it availed them nothing.
30 And in its gait it was like unto a man that hath taken strong drink, having first devoured much rice. For in such case does the belly grow big and the footsteps do become unsteady. Wherefore it was a thing for laughter amongst the men of En; but in the hosts of Hu it was a thing for fear.
31 And men told strange tales of the things that it did do. And it was said that upon an occasion it did sally forth and, in its adventuring, it did meet with an habitation.
32 And it did go up unto the habitation and it did look upon it. And it did go against the habitation with a purpose so that the walls did fall about it and there was ruination on all sides.
33 And after it had shaken itself free from all that which had fallen upon it, it did betake itself with modesty unto another place as a man that is overcome with shyness and seeketh to pass it over. Verily, it recked nothing of the thing that it had done.
34 ¶ Wherefore, and because it did smite them hip and thigh, sparing not any man that did come up against it, the men of Hu were afraid, and they did cry out with loud lamentations, saying, Why do ye so despitefully use us? Know ye not that it is not in the war to do these things?
35 And because men knew them, they heeded not their groans, so that it availed them nothing; and the tank remained a thing of terror throughout all their hosts.
36 And in this thing the men of En were first amongst all the fighters of Eur, for it was new. And the people rejoiced, being satisfied that it was given unto them as a sign that the rulers were becoming awake.