"If," said he, "I bring to a successful issue
the war I am now waging against the inhabitants
of the Sun, you will find this the pleasantest place
of residence in the universe."
We asked who the enemy were and what was
the matter in dispute.

"Phaeton," said he, "the king of the Sun-folk
-for the Sun is inhabited as well as the Moonhas been at war with us for a long time already.
It began from this cause: I had collected the
poorest of my subjects and planned to send them
off to colonize the Morning-star, which is a wilderness, uninhabited by any one. Now Phaeton,
in his jealousy, stopped the colonists, meeting


 



them half-way on their journey with his Antcavalry. On that occasion we were beaten—
for our numbers were not equal to theirs-and
we retired, but now I want to march out again
and convoy the colonists. So, if it be agreeable
to you, join my expedition. I will furnish you
with a vulture apiece from the royal stables and
the rest of your equipment. We shall set out tomorrow."
"We are at your service," said I.

 

He then invited us to supper, and we spent the night with
him.
[Here follows a detailed account of the extraordinary troops marshalled by Endymion and
Phaeton, and the manner in which the battle was
fought, the Moonites defeated, and the hero taken
prisoner with two of his companions. The victorious Sun-folk built a wall between their country
and the Moon, cutting off the sunlight, so that
Endymion's people were forced to sue for peace,
which was granted on easy terms, the chief stipulations being that the Moon should pay a yearly
tribute of a hundred thousand gallons of dew,
and that the Morning-star should be settled by
colonists from the Sun as well as the Moon, and
any one else who cared to join them.]

 
Such were the terms of the peace. The wall
was forthwith torn down, and we prisoners-of-war
were surrendered. On our return to the Moon


 



our comrades and Endymion himself came out
to meet us, and embraced us with tears; and he
asked me to stay there and join his colony, promising to give me his own child in marriage. However, I by no means listened to him, but begged
him to convey me down into the sea again; and
when he saw it was impossible to move me he
sent us off after feasting us for seven days.

 
Then, after making our adieux to the king and
his people, we embarked and set sail. On me
Endymion also bestowed some gifts, two of their
crystal tunics, five bronze ones, and a suit of beanarmor-all of which I left in the whale. He sent
also a thousand Hippogyps to escort us fifty miles.

 
On our voyage we sailed past a number of
places, and put in at the Morning-star, which we
had just helped to colonize, and disembarked and
took in water. Going aboard again we made off
into the Zodiac on the left, all but touching the
Sun as we sailed past. We did not go ashore,
though many of my mates were eager to, for the
wind did not permit it. However, we saw the
country, which was blooming, rich, well-watered,
and full of all pleasant things. When the Cloud-centaurs, who are mercenaries of Phaeton, saw us,
they flew towards the ship; but, on learning that
we were allies, they withdrew.