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tasted like that vegetable. Another vegetable which | tried had the leaves and coloring of parsley and a mild lemon flavor. There were many other vegetables which | did not try. A light eater by nature, tonight my emotions were so divided that | found myself with almost no appetite at all. | tried in vain to banish from my thoughts the purpose of this celebration. Firkon and Ramu, my good friends, would be leaving for their far distant Lane homes.... | did, however, accept a small piece of very coarse and quite dark bread, anda strip of what at first | took to be meat. The bread had a crust of golden color and tasted as though made chiefly of nuts, although | thought | detected a grain flavor as well. As | chewed the brownish strip of ?meat? and mentally compared its flavor to that of well-cooked beef, Kalna called to me from across the table. ?That is the dried root of a Venusian plant,? she explained. ?0n Venus we cook the fresh plant, and then it tastes even better, but on our trips we carry it in dried form. It is especially nourishing as it contains all proteins found in meat and is easier for the human body to absorb. One strip of this root as served here is equivalent to one pound of your steak. It also makes excellent seasoning for other foods.? To finish the meal, a huge cake was served. Although this had the appearance of what we call angel food, as it was cut | saw that it did not have the somewhat spongy-elastic consistency of that cake. Moreover, though chiefly white, there were yellow streaks throughout. The texture was very fine and literally seemed to melt in the mouth. It tasted faintly sweet, although when the yellow was separated from the white, the flavor altered in a way difficult to describe. On the whole, | found it delicious. As | observed the others around the table and listened to their merry conversation, | realized that no one was eating heavily of the abundance of food, as so often happens at banquets on Earth. Yet all seemed to be enjoying it. At the end of the repast, the women and a number of men arose from their seats and cleared away the dishes. In the miraculous way with which | had become familiar, large doors suddenly opened out into a kitchen from the wall behind the table, which had appeared entirely solid. Into this room everything was carried. In a moment the guests returned to their chairs and the doors closed behind them. Now the background of music ceased as one of the men rose from his seat. Without accompaniment of any kind, he sang a song in his native tongue. While | could not understand the words, | listened enthralled to the beauty of his voice. When he had finished, Il muth said, ?7That was a song of farewell and blessing on the Brothers who are returning home.? The music rose again from its invisible source, louder than before and with a livelier lilt. This was explained when two of the women rose and, going to a cleared space beyond the table, began moving to the music in beautiful unison. Later, | was told that the dance represented the power of the Universe. As | watched, | realized that one would need double joints and the suppleness of an infant to reproduce it. It was truly wonderful to behold, for every motion and posture of their bodies portrayed one after the other, the many moods of nature, from calm waters at rest though the most terrific storms of space.