A herdsman, she judged, as Soa had suggested, for in a corner of the room stood an ox-goad hugely fashioned.

But it was a bed, and she slept as soundly in it as its numerous insect occupants would allow.

The others were not so fortunate: they had the insects indeed, but no bed.
Again the morning came, wet, miserable, and misty, and through the mist and rain they pursued their course, whither they knew not.

All day they wandered on by the banks of the river till night fell and they camped, this time without shelter.

Now they had reached the extreme of wretchedness, for they had little or no food left, and could not find fuel to make a fire.