Then he grinned again, and lo, there were two rows of lovely teeth.
Now the young man who had flung the knife threw himself down on the grass and gave vent to a prolonged howl of terror; and as for the old gentleman, his knees knocked together with fear.
"I see that ye are spirits," he said falteringly; "did ever man born of woman have hair on one side of his face and not on the other, or a round and transparent eye, or teeth which moved and melted away and grew again?
Pardon us, O my lords." Here was luck indeed, and, needless to say, I jumped at the chance.
"It is granted," I said with an imperial smile.

"Nay, ye shall know the truth.

We come from another world, though we are men such as ye; we come," I went on, "from the biggest star that shines at night." "Oh! oh!" groaned the chorus of astonished aborigines.
"Yes," I went on, "we do, indeed"; and again I smiled benignly, as I uttered that amazing lie.

"We come to stay with you a little while, and to bless you by our sojourn.

Ye will see, O friends, that I have prepared myself for this visit by the learning of your language." "It is so, it is so," said the chorus.
"Only, my lord," put in the old gentleman, "thou hast learnt it very badly." I cast an indignant glance at him, and he quailed.
"Now friends," I continued, "ye might think that after so long a journey we should find it in our hearts to avenge such a reception, mayhap to strike cold in death the imperious hand that--that, in short--threw a knife at the head of him whose teeth come and go." "Spare him, my lords," said the old man in supplication; "he is the king's son, and I am his uncle.