Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat – Ernest Bramah

Early the following day, Leung took Lin Ho aside and proceeded to unfold his ignoble plan. He was (to set forth his misleading words, though the discriminating, who will by this time have taken his repulsive measure, should need no warning cough) on the eve of initiating a costly venture and would enlist the special protection of certain powerful spirits. To this end it was necessary to sacrifice and observe the ceremonies at a notorious shrine on an indicated mountain.

For this service, Leung had chosen Lin Ho, and having provided him with all things necessary, he bade him set out at once. With no suspicion of treachery, the painstaking Lin Ho proceeded on his way, determined to conduct the enterprise in such a manner as would redound to the credit of his name.

It was noon when he reached the foot of the mountain, the spot being a wild one and austere. Before ascending to the shrine, Lin Ho sat down upon a rock to partake of food and gather strength for the lengthy rite. He opened his wallet and found therein an adequacy of mien paste, a flask of water, and an onion. There was also a little spice to sprinkle on the food, and a few score melon seeds.

“If he whom I serve is not so light as day, neither is he quite so black as night,” observed Lin Ho, for the nature of the fare surpassed what he had expected. “To speak one’s thoughts aloud, even in a desert, betrays a pure and dispassionate mind,” exclaimed an appreciative voice from behind a crag. “I need have no hesitation in affecting the society of such a person.”

With this auspicious presage the one who spoke came into view and stood before Lin Ho. He was above the common height and wore a martial air, to which his fiercely bristling whiskers gave a sombre increase. His robe was faded by the long exposure of a rigorous life; where the colours could be seen, they were both harmonious and rich.

Whatever arms he bore he had laid aside in deference to the reputation of those heights whose shadows lay upon them, but he retained his iron sandals and a metal covering for the head. His manner had in it both something of the menace of the mountain brigand and the subtlety of the wayside mendicant, so that Lin Ho was not wholly reassured.

Nevertheless, he waved his hand in greeting and indicated a smooth rock at no great distance from the one he sat on. “You are two thousand times welcome,” he declared hospitably. “If you are about to refresh yourself before you perform your rites there is no occasion why we should not eat together.” “It would be churlish to refuse an invitation so delicately advanced,” replied the stranger.

Ernest Bramah is truly a writer for adults. He is a master of towering clouds of words that pile delicate fantasy upon fantasy—clouds shot through, however, with the lightning of satire, with the homely and charming earthiness of his people. Rich, dry, droll, satiric, and above all, unique—these are just a few of the attributes that permeate the works of Ernest Bramah, and most particularly that body of work in which he retails the adventures of Kai Lung.

“Sly suavities, delicate evasions of language, carried to the point of fine art.” —Clifton Fadiman “This book, set in the never-never land of dynastic China, is a satiric, ironic commentary on the eternal veniality of human nature. Mr. Bramah has a droll, supple hand; the reader will find both the incongruity and the custom funny.” —Mary McCarthy “The pages of Bramah have the bouquet of the rarest tea, of a kind not imported, and drunk only by mandarins of the highest button…” —The Bookman OceanofPDF.com BOOKS BY ERNEST BRAMAH ON THE BALLANTINE BOOK LIST: Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat Kai Lung’s Golden Hours OceanofPDF.com KAI LUNG UNROLLS HIS MAT Ernest Bramah BALLANTTNE BOOKS • NEW OceanofPDF.com Copyright, 1927, 1928 by Ernest Bramah Introduction copyright © 1974 by Lin Carter All rights reserved.

SBN 345-23787-0-125 First Printing: February, 1974 Printed in the United States of America Cover art by Ian Millar BALLANTINE BOOKS, INC. 201 E. 50th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022 OceanofPDF.com Contents:- INTRODUCTION ~ About KAI LUNG UNROLLS HIS MAT,and Ernest Bramah: PART ONE – The Protecting Ancestors Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine PART TWO – The Great Sky Lantern Chapter Ten PART THREE – Bringer of Good News Chapter Eleven OceanofPDF.com About KAI LUNG UNROLLS HIS MAT, and Ernest Bramah: Mandarins and Magicians In writing the introduction to the first Ernest Bramah book to appear on the Ballantine list, Kai Lung’s Golden Hours, I discussed the mystery of its author, a figure so elusive that the standard literary reference works are not certain of even the date of his birth.

Now, shy authors who shun the limelight of publicity are not rare.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: 4729452777060710
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 3,475,759 bytes (3.315 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• Pages: 262
• Language: English (en)

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• Total Words: 94,285
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