“In the fresh green month there are two birds!
In the bright, flowering month, there are six.
I said to the god,
‘It is a weary thing,
This giving death to nestlings!
The old, too, often like to rest a little longer,
Watching the children!’
I said to the god!”
Ramiki chanted:—
“Arzan answered Ramiki the prophet,
‘Look, O man!
How the river breaks its bonds and is at home in new lands!’”
Halmis chanted:—
“The god sang to Halmis—to Halmis who prophesies!—
‘Stay the birds in the tree where they nested?
Lo, at morn see the wings in the sky!’”
Ramiki made a great gesture. His voice soared and rang:—
“From the storm spoke Arzan: ‘Learn O prophet,
What my folk of the plain have forgotten!
Of old ye moved as ye grew,
Ye left ever the eaten land for the fresh land!’”
Halmis swayed in the wind of rapture.
“Two shall stay and two shall go,”
chanted Halmis.