26 Now, we, too, have Dreamers of Dreams, Seers of Visions that we call Priests of Shadows, and they did dream dreams and see visions. And they told us that these Children of The Lords would become a mighty people and journey out of their land into ours, and claim what no one has been able to claim before, and that we should become friends and great allies.
27 So my uncle, our Chief of Chiefs, had many of our youths taught your language so when the Day of Your Arrival came, we could speak with you. For I have come to warn you--you are in danger here. There is a dread sickness that inhabits this land, that has destroyed all who have tried to live here before. As long as you stay in the hills, you are reasonably safe. But if you enter the low lands, you will sicken and die. It has happened many times before."
28 "If such is so," said Bold Fox, "you had best come to our encampment, speak with our leader, tell him all you can."
29 "That is my mission," the other answered.
30 Bold Fox rose. "I am Bold Fox," he announced, "Warlock of Spirit, under Gray Dove, our High Warlock, and The Old Fox, our Leader."
31 "I am Strong Wall," answered the Giant, "nephew of High Wall, Chieftain of The Twenty Chiefs, Leader of The Twenty Tribes, Keeper of The Cities in The Mountains."
32 Bold Fox now understood the strange patterning on the Giant's shield. "Come," he said, "I will lead the way." Swiftly they journeyed to the encampment, and came to Gray Dove and The Old Fox, who were quickly told of the situation.
33 "We must gather the Elders," ordered The Old Fox, "and, the Healers. We must discuss this situation."
34 It was not long before The Temple was filled and the whole camp was full of excitement. The Old Fox introduced the visitors.
35 "What is the disease like?" asked one of the Healers. "Describe it to us. When does it come? How does it effect the people?"
36 "We call it the Swelling Death," Strong Wall told him. "It comes after the rainy season about the time the ground begins to dry.
37 At first the person begins to feel tired. They do not seem to know where they are, or what they are doing. Then, the fever begins. The joints of their body begin to swell....and, are hot to the touch. The person may live for two or three days, then they either live or die. If they live, their joints are often twisted, or deformed, and their minds are feeble. Sometimes they lose their hearing, or, their sight."
38 A female Healer jumped up. "Tell me," she asked, "do you have a blue fly in your land that has little red dots on its wings?"
39 "Why, yes!" said Strong Wall. "I do not know anyone who has not been bitten by one."
40 "It's Jointed Fever!" the woman cried.
41 "But how can that be?" asked another Healer. "We knew Sour Bark would cure Jointed Fever even before The Lords came! And we've seen many of the trees here."
42 "We know it well," the woman answered, "but THEY don't! They've been suffering with the disease as long as we have, but didn't know the cure!"
43 "There IS a cure for the Swelling Death?" asked Strong Wall.
44 "If it is the disease we think it is," said the Healer, "there is a bark of a certain tree. If you grind it and boil it in water, and give a cup of it to the victim three times a day, the Fever will disappear, the swelling will go down, and the patient will recover with little or no ill effects."
45 Strong Wall looked at them in disbelief. "If this is true," he said, "if you can cure the Swelling Death, you must send Healers to my city at once! There were outbreaks of it there when I left. People are dying while we speak."
46 "Of course!" agreed The Old Fox, "We will send six of our best Healers and an ox cart of medicine. Also, we must send someone to negotiate for the land we need. We wish to buy four large tracts on which to build our cities. We need someone who is a good bargainer, who is known for his honesty."
47 Strong Wall spoke up. "What about this Bold Fox?" he asked, "The man who met me in the hills. He seems like a good fellow, an honest man. Why not send him? And, I rather like his company!"
48 "Now I don't think that we could have chosen better!" agreed The Old Fox. "My nephew is a good talker, and has always been good at business. I'll send three of my Councilmen with him, who know what we need. With this number, and the Healers, it will make a considerable party to represent us."
49 It was not long before all agreed, and a reluctant Bold Fox found himself preparing for a journey. But he was a man of duty, and if the people asked him to do something, he would do it, to the best of his ability.
50 Five days later, after a hard trek through the foothills and up into the mountains, they were approaching the city of Wall, and such a city The Children of Spirit had never seen! For it was not just made BY the mountain, it was literally PART of the mountain!
51 "In these mountain valleys," explained Strong Wall, "farmland is scarce, so cities cannot be built where the land is good, they must be built where it is convenient. So we dig into the sides of the mountains, and build our homes there.
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