Chapter 3 Summary

Anodos follows the path from his room into a dense wood that imitates the dark of midnight, even though it is daytime. A small bit of light reveals a young woman walking towards him and repeating a series of warnings to avoid certain trees while trusting others. The woman alters her course away from Anodos, and he does not follow her. Anodos does not hear the sounds of birds or insects as he walks through the woods and soon realizes that fairies sleep during the day.

As Anodos continues his exploration, he comes upon a small cottage made from the stems and branches of four great trees. A woman sits outside chopping vegetables. She inquires about her daughter, whom Anodos surmises to be the young girl he encountered earlier; the woman invites Anodos inside for some food. The woman tells Anodos that he...