Summary

There is a record of the Ruler’s illness in an unpublished academic paper by Harvard professor and medic Din Furyk. The narrative announces that it will supplement this paper with other sources to give an account. The Ruler’s body has begun to swell and he has lost the ability to speak. Furyk’s diary is full of racist digressions regarding the inscrutable faces of black people. A.G. recalls telling the Ruler that he knew a sorcerer who could heal him. The Wizard of the Crow arrives in New York and a special cabinet meeting is called to discuss the Ruler’s illness; they resolve not to tell the Wizard of the Crow about Dr. Furyk.

The next day, Machokali calls on the Wizard of the Crow. The Wizard of the Crow reassures Machokali that he has no intention of staying...