Fifty-One Tales by Lord Dunsany 1915

The Death of Pan

When travellers from London entered Arcady they lamented one

to another the death of Pan.

   And anon they saw him lying stiff and still.

   Horned Pan was still and the dew was on his fur; he had

not the look of a live animal.  And then they said, "It is

true that Pan is dead."

   And, standing melancholy by that huge prone body, they

looked for long at memorable Pan.

   And evening came and a small star appeared.

   And presently from a hamlet of some Arcadian valley, with

a sound of idle song, Arcadian maidens came.

   And, when they saw there, suddenly in the twilight, that

old recumbent god, they stopped in their running and

whispered among themselves.  "How silly he looks," they

said, and thereat they laughed a little.

   And at the sound of their laughter Pan leaped up and the

gravel flew from his hooves.

   And, for as long as the travellers stood and listened,

the crags and the hill-tops of Arcady rang with the sounds

of pursuit.