-------> Many songs were shared that day. This was one of hers. Open ways on a desert track Water bags on an ass's back Lowing beasts and a long-horn bull Fire's bright, but the moons are full And so we pray Dance, dance, caravan -For the gods we dance Dance, dance, wander-folk -Until the day is young Sing, sing, desert man, -For our loves we dance Sing, sing, to the smoke -Feel magic on your tongue Hardened hooves and a broken bone Leopards wait 'til you're alone Water's gone and the fire's dead On these desert tracks we bled Yet still we say Dance, dance, caravan -For the gods we dance Dance, dance, wander-folk -Until the day is young Sing, sing, desert man, -For our loves we dance Sing, sing, to the smoke -Feel magic on your tongue Though the people of the river begged Whisper to sing a song of her own people, her quiet stubbornness defeated them all one by one, and her music remained only of the kind that they themselves had taught her. Eventually, well after night had fallen, Whisper asked the elder to teach her a farewell, and she repeated it; And then she burned away into a dirty smoke and left that place on the wind. In the morning, the foraging hain found the remains of a bull elephant in a field of fine ash. There was no ivory for them to salvage, nor any decaying flesh, or even bones; Only the tip of its trunk and a few of its teeth. The foragers turned their back on that place, and said nothing. For the memories of last night were clear in their minds, and among them was this: That they had offered much food to the stranger, and yet she had eaten nothing at all.