During that faint I seemed to be carrying on a conversation
with Mavovo, though whether it ever took place or I only imagined it I
am not sure, since I always forgot to ask him.
He said, or I thought he said, to me:
"And now, Macumazana, my father, what have you to say? Does my Snake
stand upon its tail or does it not? Answer, I am listening."
To which I replied, or seemed to reply:
"Mavovo, my child, certainly it appears as though your Snake /does/
stand upon its tail. Still, I hold that all this is a phantasy; that
we live in a land of dream in which nothing is real except those
things which we cannot see or touch or hear. That there is no me and
no you and no Snake at all, nothing but a Power in which we move, that
shows us pictures and laughs when we think them real."
Whereon Mavovo said, or seemed to say:
"Ah! at last you touch the truth, O Macumazana, my father. All things
are a shadow and we are shadows in a shadow. But what throws the
shadow, O Macumazana, my father? Why does Dogeetah appear to come
hither riding on a white ox and why do all these thousands think that
my Snake stands so very stiff upon its tail?"
"I'm hanged if I know," I replied and woke up.
Pages:
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295