Atalapha, a Winged Brownie 
blinded prisoner skimmed at speed along the high 
corners of the room, he dodged the threads, he 
shortened wing and passed in full flight through 
the rings, and he wheeled from every obstacle as 
though he had perfect vision, exact knowledge of 
its place and form. 
Then, last, the doctor gave a crucial test. On 
the table in the middle of the room he set a dish of 
water and released a blue-bottle fly. Every one 
present was cautioned to keep absolutely still. 
Atalapha was hanging by his hind feet from a corner 
of the room, vainly trying to scratch the covering 
from his eyes. Presently he took wing again. 
The dead silence reassured him. He began once 
more his search for escape. He made a great 
square-cornered flight all around the door. He 
traversed at a wing length the two sides of the 
sash, and then inspected the place where the 
cross-bars met. He passed a mouse hole, with a 
momentary pause, but hovered long at a tiny 
knot-hole in the outer wall. Then reviving his 
confidence in the silence of the room, he skimmed 
several times round and, diving toward the pan, 
drank as he flew. Now the fly that had settled on 
the wall went off with a loud hum. Instantly 
Atalapha wheeled in pursuit. It darted past the 
Deer’s antlers and through the loops and zigzag 
184 
