"Bring me three grains of silver-white sand from the middle of the lake," said the leader; and two of them jumped into the water and disappeared.
"Now fetch three blades of dry grass from the lining of the kingfisher's nest," he said; and immediately two others were gone.
When the four returned, the leader dropped the grains of sand in Larkin's eyes, saying,
"Three grains of silver sand,
From the Joblily's hand!
Where shall the Joblily lie,
When the young owl learns to fly?"
Then they all jumped upon him and stamped, but Larkin could not move hand or foot. In fact, he found that his hands were flattening out, like fins. The leader then put the three blades of grass in Larkin's mouth, and said,
"Eat a dry blade! eat a dry blade!
From the nest that the kingfisher made!