He thought of a lot of questions to ask as soon as he should be allowed to speak, and he resolved to remember every one of them.

But just as he was getting them arranged a small, low, long-bodied, snaky-slim, yellowish beast came gliding by and drove them all clean out of his head.

It was a weasel.

It almost bumped into the Child's feet before it noticed them.

Then it jumped back, showing its keen teeth in a soundless snarl of its narrow, pointed muzzle, and surveyed the Child with the cruellest little eyes that he had ever even imagined.