Fifty-One Tales by Lord Dunsany 1915

The Latest Thing

I saw an unclean-feeder by the banks of the river of Time.

He crouched by orchards numerous with apples in a happy land

of flowers; colossal barns stood near which the ancients had

stored with grain, and the sun was golden on serene far

hills behind the level lands.  But his back was to all these

things.  He crouched and watched the river.  And whatever

the river chanced to send him down the unclean-feeder

clutched at greedily with his arms, wading out into the

water.

   Now there were in those days, and indeed still are,

certain uncleanly cities upon the river of Time; and from

them fearfully nameless things came floating shapelessly

by.  And whenever the odor of these came down the river

before them the unclean-feeder plunged into the dirty water

and stood far out, expectant.  And if he opened his mouth

one saw these things on his lips.

   Indeed from the upper reaches there came down sometimes

the fallen rhododendron's petal, sometimes a rose; but they

were useless to the unclean-feeder, and when he saw them he

growled.

   A poet walked beside the river's bank; his head was

lifted and his look was afar; I think he saw the sea, and

the hills of Fate from which the river ran.  I saw the

unclean-feeder standing voracious, up to his waist in that

evil-smelling river.

   "Look," I said to the poet.

   "The current will sweep him away," the poet said.

   "But those cities that poison the river," I said to him.

   He answered: "Whenever the centuries melt on the hills of

Fate the river terribly floods."