and collapses, as the blind man is trying to tell him of the Prince's condition. The Prince accuses him of lying and Pretty Flower has him sent away to "the pit". The failure of Great House to complete the run is a terrible omen. When the river last failed to rise high enough, the God of that time drank poison and his retinue were expected to follow him into the afterlife – the eternal Now – a prospect they accept happily but which terrifies the Liar. Later, at a feast, Great House insists on hearing the Liar tell his "lies" about supposed places beyond the river, though he has heard them before. The Liar describes white men, the sea, ice, and snow, which Great House finds very amusing. Pretty Flower performs a ritual striptease dance, in which she is expected to seduce her father, who is more interested in drinking and playing a game of checkers with Head Man. The seduction is unsuccessful, which is a deep humiliation for Pretty Flower and a further failure on the part of Great House. As Head Man explains, this requires a "Beginning", which Great House is happy about. He drinks poison cheerfully, in certain knowledge of a pleasant and eternal Now, from where he will be able to ensure that the river rises after all. The river duly does rise and when it is at the appropriate height he is entombed in the central chamber of the low building. Others go into the other chambers to take poison and be ready to serve him in his Now. The Liar struggles against this, threatening not to tell his lies if made to take his own life. He is pronounced unclean by Head Man and sent to the pit to be 'cleaned'. The river keeps rising, threatening to cause devastating floods. The Prince, who is being trained to succeed Great House, runs away and finds the pit, where the blind man is almost dead from dehydration. He talks to the Liar, asking him to take him to the cold place, and the Liar has him try to come back at night with his jewels and a rope. Head Man is talking to Pretty Flower, and surmises that the river is still rising because Great House is angry, not because of Pretty Flower's failure to seduce him but because of Pretty Flower's attraction to the Liar,