39 



'You are surely the sheep-herders' 

 dog." The animal gave itself a 

 shake as much as to disclaim any 

 such connection, and with a bark of 

 joy perceived the spring and jumped 

 in. It was gone a long time. Had 

 I been mistaken, was it a suicide? 

 when up came a creature in black 

 coat, shining and curly, emitting 

 little yelps of pleasure as it paddled 

 about. Then vigorously drying her- 

 self Undine went to the fire and sug- 

 gested that food would be most 

 appreciated. 



She ate starvedly and then fell to 

 licking a long cut on the body. Per- 

 haps it was resentment of this that 

 had made Undine change her allegi- 

 ance, for change it she had, as sub- 

 sequent events proved. 



I have often been struck by the 

 flimsiness of the threads from which 

 that curious fabric "popular notion" 

 is woven. I have never been able 

 to examine it closely without it 

 falling to pieces in my hands. Per- 

 haps it is a thankless task to destroy 

 it: it is the way half of the world wins 

 its living from the other half. But 

 I am tempted to poke holes in a tiny 



