THE WORM OUROBOROS [Illustration: GORICE XII. IN CARCË.] THE WORM OUROBOROS A ROMANCE BY E. R. EDDISON, ILLUSTRATED BY KEITH HENDERSON [Illustration] JONATHAN CAPE LTD. ELEVEN GOWER STREET LONDON FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1922 NEW AND CHEAPER EDITION 1924 CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS DEDICATION THE INDUCTION I. THE CASTLE OF LORD JUSS II. THE WRASTLING FOR DEMONLAND III. THE RED FOLIOT IV. CONJURING IN THE IRON TOWER V. KING GORICE’S SENDING VI. THE CLAWS OF WITCHLAND VII. GUESTS OF THE KING IN CARCË VIII. THE FIRST EXPEDITION TO IMPLAND IX. SALAPANTA HILLS X. THE MARCHLANDS OF THE MORUNA XI. THE BURG OF ESHGRAR OGO XII. KOSHTRA PIVRARCHA XIII. KOSHTRA BELORN XIV. THE LAKE OF RAVARY XV. QUEEN PREZMYRA XVI. THE LADY SRIVA’S EMBASSAGE XVII. THE KING FLIES HIS HAGGARD XVIII. THE MURTHER OF GALLANDUS BY CORSUS XIX. THREMNIR’S HEUGH XX. KING CORINIUS XXI. THE PARLEY BEFORE KROTHERING XXII. AURWATH AND SWITCHWATER XXIII. THE WEIRD BEGUN OF ISHNAIN NEMARTRA XXIV. A KING IN KROTHERING XXV. LORD GRO AND THE LADY MEVRIAN XXVI. THE BATTLE OF KROTHERING SIDE XXVII. THE SECOND EXPEDITION TO IMPLAND XXVIII. ZORA RACH NAM PSARRION XXIX. THE FLEET AT MUELVA XXX. TIDINGS OF MELIKAPHKHAZ XXXI. THE DEMONS BEFORE CARCË XXXII. THE LATTER END OF ALL THE LORDS OF WITCHLAND XXXIII. QUEEN SOPHONISBA IN GALING ARGUMENT: WITH DATES BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE ON THE VERSES ILLUSTRATIONS GORICE XII. IN CARCË THE LORDS JUSS, GOLDRY BLUSZCO, SPITFIRE, AND BRANDOCH DAHA IN KOSHTRA BELORN SOLDIERS OF DEMONLAND HIPPOGRIFF IN FLIGHT THE LAST CONJURING IN CARCË True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank, A ferlie he spied wi his ee; And there he saw a Lady bright Come riding down by the Eildon Tree. Her skirt was o the grass-green silk, Her mantle o the velvet fyne, At ilka tett of her horse’s mane Hung fifty siller bells and nine. True Thomas he pulld aff his cap, And louted low down on his knee: “Hail to thee, Mary, Queen of Heaven! For thy peer on earth could never be.” “O no, O no, Thomas,” she says, “That name does not belang to me; I’m but the Queen of fair Elfland, That am hither come to visit thee.