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； each carved from a single tree； great god…figures mixed of dolphin； fish； man； and sea bird； at the people busy at their work； weaving； carving； fishing； cooking on raised platforms； tending babies； at the other rafts； seventy at least； scattered out over the water in a great circle perhaps a mile across。 It was a town： smoke rising in thin wisps from distant houses； the voices of children high on the wind。 It was a town； and under its floors was the abyss。
〃Do you never e to land？〃 the boy asked in a low voice。
〃Once each year。 We go to the Long Dune。 We cut wood there and refit the rafts。 That is in autumn； and after that we follow the gray whales north。 In winter we go apart； each raft alone。 In the spring we e to Balatran and meet。 There is going from raft to raft then； there are marriages； and the Long Dance is held。 These are the Roads of Balatran； from here the great current bears south。 In summer we drift south upon the great current until we see the Great Ones； the grey whales； turning northward。 Then we follow them； returning at last to the beaches of Emah on the Long Dune； for a little while。〃
〃This is most wonderful； my lord；〃 said Arren。 〃Never did I hear of such a people as yours。 My home is very far from here。 Yet there too； in the island of Enlad； we dance the Long Dance on midsummer eve。〃
〃You stamp the earth down and make it safe；〃 the chief said dryly。 〃We dance on the deep sea。〃
After a time he asked； 〃How is he called； your lord？〃
〃Sparrowhawk；〃 Arren said。 The chief repeated the syllables； but they clearly had no meaning for him。 And that more than any other thing made Arren understand that the tale was true； that these people lived on the sea year in； year out； on the open sea past any land or scent of land； beyond the flight of the land birds； outside the knowledge of men。
〃There was death in him；〃 the chief said。 〃He must sleep。 You go back to Star's raft； I will send for you。〃 He stood up。 Though perfectly sure of himself； he was apparently not quite sure what Arren was； whether he should treat him as an equal or as a boy。 Arren preferred the latter； in this situation； and accepted his dismissal； but then faced a problem of his own。 The rafts had drifted apart again； and a hundred yards of satiny water rippled between the two。
The chief of the Children of the Open Sea spoke to him once more； briefly。 〃Swim；〃 he said。
Arren let himself gingerly into the water。 Its cool was pleasant on his sun…baked skin。 He swam across and hauled himself out on the other raft； to find a group of five or six children and young people watching him with undisguised interest。 A very small girl said； 〃You swim like a fish on a hook。〃
〃How should I swim？〃 asked Arren； a little mortified； but polite； indeed he could not have been rude to a human being so very small。 She looked like a polished mahogany statuette； fragile； exquisite。 〃Like this！〃 she cried； and dived like a seal into the dazzle and liquid roil of the waters。 Only after a long time； and at an improbable distance； did he hear her shrill cry and see her black； sleek head above the surface。
〃e on；〃 said a boy who was probably Arren's age； though he looked not more than twelve in height and build： a grave…faced fellow； with a blue crab tattooed all across his back。 He dived； and all dived； even the three…year…old； so Arren had to and did so； trying not to splash。
〃Like an eel；〃 said the boy； ing up by his shoulder。
〃Like a dolphin；〃 said a pretty girl with a pretty smile； and vanished in the depths。
〃Like me！〃 squeaked the three…year…old； bobbing like a bottle。
So that evening until dark； and all the next long golden day and the days that followed； Arren swam and talked and worked with the young people of Star's raft。 And of all the events of his voyage since that morning of the equinox when he and Sparrowhawk left Roke； this seemed to him in some way the strangest； for it had nothing to do with all that had gone before； in the voyage or in all his life； and even less to do with what was yet to e。 At night； lying down to sleep among the others under the stars； he thought； 〃It is as if I were dead； and this is an afterlife； here in the sunlight； beyond the edge of the world； among the sons and daughters of the sea。。。〃
Before he slept he would look in the far south for the yellow star and the figure of the Rune of Ending； and always he saw Gobardon and the lesser or the greater triangle； but it rose later now； and he could not keep his eyes open till the whole figure stood free of the horizon。 By night and by day the rafts drifted southward； but there was never any change in the sea； for the ever…changing does not change； the rainstorms of May passed over； and at night the stars shone； and all day the sun。
He knew that their life could not be lived always in this dreamlike case。 He asked of winter； and they told him of the long rains and the mighty swells； the single rafts； each separated from all the rest； drifting and plunging along through the grey and darkness； week after week after week。 Last winter in a month…long storm they had seen waves so great they were 〃like thunderclouds；〃 they said； for they had not seen hills。 From the back of one wave the next could be seen； immense； miles away； rushing hugely toward them。 Could the rafts ride such seas？ he asked； and they said yes； but not always。 In the spring when they gathered at the Roads of Balatran there would be two rafts missing； or three； or six。。。
They married very young。 Bluecrab； the boy tattooed with his namesake； and the pretty girl Albatross were man and wife； though he was just seventeen and she two years younger； there were many such marriages between the rafts。 Many babies crept and toddled about the rafts； tied by long leashes to the four posts of the central shelter； all crawling into it in the heat of the day and sleeping in wriggling heaps。 The older children tended the younger； and men and women shared in all the work。 All took their turn at gathering the great； brown…leaved seaweeds； the nilgu of the Roads； fringed like fern and eighty or a hundred feet long。 All worked together at pounding the nilgu into cloth and braiding the coarse fibers for ropes and nets； at fishing and drying the fish and shaping whale…ivory into tools； and all the other tasks of the rafts。 But there was always time for swimming and for talking； and never a time by which a task must be finished。 There were no hours： only whole days； whole nights。 After a few such days and nights it seemed to Arren that he had lived on the raft for time uncountable； and Obehol was a dream； and behind that were fainter dreams； and in some other world he had lived on land and been a prince in Enlad。
When he was summoned at last to the chief's raft； Sparrowhawk looked at him a while and said； 〃You look like that Arren whom I saw in the Court of the Fountain： sleek as a golden seal。 It suits you here； lad。〃
〃Aye； my lord。〃
〃But where is here？ We have left places behind us。 We have sailed off the maps。。。 Long ago I heard tell of the RaftFolk； but thought it only one more tale of the South Reach； a fancy without substance。 Yet we were rescued by that fancy； and ou