The Lama, after a moment's silence, continued: "You have been told by Ghond, who knows animals better than any other man, that our fear frightens others so that they attack us. Your pigeon is so frightened that he thinks the whole sky is going to attack him. No leaf tumbles without frightening him. Not a shadow falls without driving panic into his soul. Yet what is causing him suffering is himself. "At this very time the village below us--yes, you can see it over there to the North-west--is suffering from the same trouble as Gay-Neck. As it is the season for the animals to come north, all the frightened inhabitants are going about with old matchlocks in order to kill wild beasts, and behold, the beasts attack them now, though they never did so before! Bisons come and eat up their crops, and leopards steal their goats. Today news was brought here that a wild buffalo has killed a man last night. Though I tell them to purge their minds of fear through prayer and meditation, they will not do it." "Why, O blessed Teacher," asked Ghond, "do you not permit me to go and rid them of these beasts?" "Not yet," replied the Lama. "Though you are healed of fear in your waking moments, yet your dreams harbour the curse of fright. Let us pray and meditate a few days longer and your soul will be purged of all such dross. Then after you are healed, if the villagers below are still hurt by the beasts, you may go and help them." CHAPTER IX THE WISDOM OF THE LAMA After about the tenth day of strict and most sincere meditation in the manner he had prescribed, the Lama sent for Gay-Neck and myself. So with the pigeon between my hands, I climbed up to his cell. The Lama's face, generally yellow, today looked brown and very powerful. A strange poise and power shone in his almond-shaped eyes. He took Gay-Neck in his hands, and said: "May the north wind bring healing unto you, May the south wind bring healing unto you, May the winds of east and west pour healing into you. Fear flees from you, Hate flees from you, And suspicion flees from you. Courage like a rushing tide gallops through you; Peace possesses your entire being, And serenity and strength have become your two wings. In your eyes shines courage; Power and prowess dwell in your heart! You are healed, You are healed, You are healed! Peace, peace, peace." We sat there meditating on those thoughts till the sun set, smiting the Himalayan peaks into multicoloured flames. The valleys, the hollows and the woods about us put on a mantle of purple glory.