“Two-Legs is mighty ... greater than any other in the world ... he rules the earth and all that is upon it.”
They sang in the river that ran down to the sea:
“Two-Legs rules the waters ... they carry his ships wherever he will ... they breed fish for his table.”
The warm wind blew over his face:
“Two-Legs is greater than any other ... he rules me ... I have to toil in his service, like the ox and the horse.... Blow east, blow west, he catches me and uses me.”
Two-Legs passed his hand down his long, white beard and nodded with pride and contentment.
At that moment, a peculiar thundering noise was heard. It was as though it came from the interior of the earth; and, indeed, one could not imagine where else it should come from. For the sky was cloudless and clear and the sun shone bright and warm, just at noonday.
“What was that?” said Two-Legs.
“Who knows?” said the palm-tree, trembling right down to its roots. “Who can fathom the forces that prevail in nature?”
“Who can say?” said the river, tossing its waves in terror, like a rearing horse. “What do any of us know, after all?”