"So my family say," said the other. "They say he has changed of late."
"They say he takes much to cities?" the brown one said.
"My cousin who lives in belfries tells me so," said the black one.
"He says he is much in cities."
"And there he grows lean?" said the brown one.
"Yes, he grows lean."
"Is it true what they say?" said the brown one.
"Caw," said the black one.
"Is it true that he cannot live many centuries?"
"No, no," said the black one. "Furrow-maker will not die. We must
not lose furrow-maker. He has been foolish of late, he has played
with smoke and is sick. His engines have wearied him and his cities
are evil. Yes, he is very sick. But in a few centuries he will forget
his folly and we shall not lose furrow-maker. Time out of mind he
has delved and my family have got their food from the raw earth
behind him. He will not die."
"But they say, do they not?" said the brown one, "his cities are
noisome, and that he grows sick in them and can run no longer, and
that it is with him as it is with us when we grow too many, and the
grass has the bitter taste in the rainy season, and our young grow
bloated and die."
"Who says it?" replied the black one.
"Pigeon," the brown one answered. "He came back all dirty.
And Hare went down to the edge of the cities once. He says it
too. Man was too sick to chase him.
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