own； can he； or he'd cease to be； just like everything else。 The most evil creatures don't desire the destruction of everything they only desire to exploit it for themselves。〃
Alvin had never heard the word exploit before； but it sounded nasty。
〃So in the great war between the Unmaker and everything else； God and the devil should be on the same side。 But the devil； he doesn't know it； and so he serves the Unmaker as often as not。〃
〃You mean the devil's out to beat himself？〃
〃My story isn't about the devil；〃 said Taleswapper。 He was steady as rain when a story was ing out of him。 〃In the great war against the Unmaker of your vision； all the men and women of the world should be allies。 But the great enemy remains invisible； so that no one guesses that they unwittingly serve him。 They don't realize that war is the Unmaker's ally； because it tears down everything it touches。 They don't understand that fire； murder； crime； cupidity； and concupiscence break apart the fragile bonds that make human beings into nations； cities； families； friends； and souls。〃
〃You must be a prophet right enough；〃 said Alvin Junior； 〃cause I can't understand a thing you said。〃
〃A prophet；〃 murmured Taleswapper； 〃but it was your eyes that saw。 Now I know the agony of Aaron： to speak the words of truth； yet never have the vision for himself。〃
〃You're making a big lot out of my nightmares。〃
Taleswapper was silent； sitting on the ground； his elbows on his knees； his chin propped all dismal on his palms。 Alvin tried to figure out what the man was talking about。 It was a sure thing that what he saw in his bad dreams wasn't a thing of any kind； so it must be poetical to talk about the Unmaker like a person。 Maybe it was true； though； maybe the Unmaker wasn't just something he imagined up in his brain； maybe it was real； and Al Junior was the only person who could see it。 Maybe the whole world was in terrible danger； and it was Alvin's job to fight it off； to beat it back； to keep the thing at bay。 it was sure enough that when the dream was on him； Alvin couldn't bear it； wanted to drive it away。 But he never could figure out how。
〃Sposing I believe you；〃 said Alvin。 〃Sposing there's such a thing as the Unmaker。 There ain't a blamed thing I can do。〃
A slow smile crept over Thleswapper's face。 He tipped himself to one side； to free up his hand； which slowly reached down to the ground and picked up the little bug basket where it lay in the grass。 〃Does that look like a blamed thing？〃
〃That's just a bunch of grass。〃
〃It was a bunch of grass；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃And if you tore it up it'd be a bunch of grass again。 But now； right now； it's something more than that。〃
〃A little bug basket is all。〃
〃Something that you made。〃
〃Well； it's a sure thing grass don't grow that way。〃
〃And when you made it； you beat back the Unmaker。〃
〃Not by much；〃 said Alvin。
〃No；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃But by the making of one bug basket。 By that much； you beat him back。〃
It came together in Alvin's mind。 The whole story that the Taleswapper was trying to tell。 Alvin knew all kinds of opposites in the world： good and evil； light and dark； free and slave； love and hate。 But deeper than all those opposites was making and unmaking。 So deep that hardly anybody noticed that it was the most important opposite of all。 But he noticed； and so that made the Unmaker his enemy。 That's why the Unmaker came after him in his sleep。 After all； Alvin had his knack。 His knack for setting things in order； putting things in the shape they ought to be in。
〃I think my real vision was about the same thing；〃 said Alvin。
〃You don't have to tell me about the Shining Man；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃I never mean to pry。〃
〃You mean you just pry by accident？〃 said Alvin。
That was the kind of remark that got him a slap across the face at home； but Taleswapper only laughed。
〃I did something evil and I didn't even know it；〃 said Alvin。 〃The Shining Man came and stood by the foot of my bed； and first he showed me a vision of what I done； so I knowed it was bad。 I tell you I cried； to know I was so wicked。 But then he showed me what my knack was for； and now I see it's the same thing you're talking about。 I saw a stone that I pulled out of a mountain； and it was round as a ball； and when I looked close I saw it was the whole world； with forests and animals and oceans and fish and all on it。 That's what my knack is for； to try to put things in order。〃
Taleswapper's eyes were gleaming。 〃The Shining Man showed you such a vision；〃 he said。 〃Such a vision as I'd give my life to see。〃
〃Only cause I'd used my knack to cause harm to others； just for my own pleasure；〃 said Alvin。 〃I made a promise then； my most solemn vow； that I'd never use my knack for my own good。 Only for others。〃
〃A good promise；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃I wish all men and women in the world would take such an oath and keep it。〃
〃Anyway； that's how I know that the the Unmaker； it isn't a vision。 The Shining Man wasn't even a vision。 What he showed me； that was a vision； but him standing there； he was real。〃
〃And the Unmaker？〃
〃Real； too。 I don't just see it in my head； it's there。〃
Taleswapper nodded； his eyes never leaving Alvin's face。
〃I've got to make things；〃 said Alvin。 〃Faster than he can tear them down。〃
〃Nobody can make things fast enough for that；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃If all the men in all the world made all the earth into a million million million million bricks； and built a wall all the days of their lives； the wall would crumble faster than they could build it。 Sections of the wall would fall apart even before they built them。〃
〃Now that's silly；〃 said Alvin。 〃A wall can't fall down before you build it up。〃
〃If they keep at it long enough； the bricks will crumble into dust when they pick them up； their own hands will rot and slough like slime from their bones； until brick and flesh and bone alike all break down into the same indistinguishable dust。 Then the Unmaker will sneeze； and the dust win be infinitely dispersed so that it can never e together again。 The universe will be cold； still； silent； dark； and at last the Unmaker will be at rest。〃
Alvin tried to make sense out of what Taleswapper was saying。 It was the same thing he did whenever Thrower talked about religion in school； so Alvin thought of it as kind of a dangerous thing to do。 But he couldn't stop himself from doing it； and from asking his questions； even if they made people mad。 〃If things are breaking down faster than they're getting made； then how e anything's still around？ Why hasn't the Unmaker already won？ What are we doing here？〃
Taleswapper wasn't Reverend Thrower。 Alvin's question didn't make him angry。 He just knit his brow and shook his head。 〃I don't know。 You're right。 We can't be here。 Our existence is impossible。〃
〃Well we are here； in case you didn't notice；〃 said Alvin。 〃What kind of stupid tale is that； when we just have to look at each other to know it isn't true？〃
〃It has problems； I admit。〃
〃I thought you only told stories you believe。〃
〃I believed it while I was telling it。〃
Taleswapper looked so mournful that Alvin reached out and laid his hand on the man's shoulder； though his coat was so thick and Alvin's hand so small that he wasn't altogether sure Taleswapper felt his touch。 〃I believed it； too。 Parts of it。 For a while。〃
〃Then there is truth in it。 Maybe not much； but some。〃 Taleswapper looked relieved。
But Alvin couldn't leave well enough alone。 〃Just because you believe it doesn't make it so。〃
Taleswapper's eyes went wide。 Now I've done it； thought Alvin。 Now I've made him mad； just like I make Thrower mad。 I do it to everbody。 So he wasn't surprised when Taleswapper reached out both arms toward him； took Alvin's face between his hands； and spoke with such force as to drive the words deep into Alvin's forehead。 〃Everything possible to be believed is an image of truth。〃
And the words did pierce him； and he understood them； though he could not have put in words what it was he understood。 Everything possible to be believed is an image of truth。 If it feels true to me； then there is something true in it； even if it isn't all true。 And if I study it out in my mind； then maybe I can find what parts of it are true； and what parts are false； and And Alvin realized something else。 That all his arguments with Thrower came down to this： that if something just plain didn't make sense to Alvin； he didn't believe it； and no amount of quoting from the Bible would convince him。 Now Taleswapper was telling him that he was right to refuse to believe things that made no sense。 〃Taleswapper； does that mean that what I don't believe can't be true？〃
Taleswapper raised his eyebrows and came back with another proverb。 〃Truth can never be told so as to be understood； and not be believed。〃
Alvin was fed up with proverbs。 〃For once would you tell me straight！〃
〃The proverb is the straight truth； lad。 I refuse to twist it up to fit a confused mind。〃
〃Well； if my mind's confused； it's all your fault。 All your talk about bricks crumbling before the wall is built〃