“And are we near the World‘s End now， Sir？” asked Caspian. “Have you any knowledge of the seas and lands further east than this？”
“I saw them long ago，” said the Old Man， “but it was from a great height. I cannot tell you such things as sailors need to know.”
“Do you mean you were flying in the air？” Eustace blurtedout.
“I was a long way above the air， my son，” replied the Old Man. “I am Ramandu. But I see that you stare at on another and have not heard this name. And no wonder， for the days when I was a star had ceased long before any of you knew this world， and all the constellations have changed.”
“Golly，” said Edmund under his breath. “He’s a retiredstar.”
“Aren‘t you a star any longer？” asked Lucy.
“I am a star at rest， my daughter，” answered Ramandu. “When I set for the last time， decrepit and old beyond all that you can reckon， I was carried to this island. I am not so old now as I was then. Every morning a bird brings me a fire.berry from the valleys in the Sun， and each fire.berry takes away a little of my age. And when I have become as young as the child that was born yesterday， then I shall take my rising again （for we are at earth’s eastern rim） and once more tread the great dance.”
