The Telling

by Ursula K. Le Guin

It was a little frightening when she thought about it, but she didn’t think much about it, because it was such a pleasure.

As she and the barrow man stood gazing, others stopped to help them gaze.

“Ah,” he said, the way Akidan had said, “Ah.” It was a sound of assent, but qualified. It was yes but not quite yes. Or yes but we don’t use that word. Or yes but we don’t need to talk about that. Yes with a loophole.

“It was my fault.” “No,” Elyed said. “You did no wrong. Sotyu Ang did no wrong. There is no fault. Things are going badly. It’s not possible always to do right when things are difficult.”