# II: Niafer explained — Figures of Earth

> Chapter companion for Figures of Earth by James Branch Cabell.

## What happens

Manuel meets Niafer on the ascent of Mount Vraidex, where they form a pact to rescue the Lady Gisèle from Miramon Lluagor. Niafer uses clever tricks—a fake egg and a fake bridle—to outwit two serpents sent by Miramon, impressing Manuel with his cunning.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Geas of Obligation

Manuel and Niafer pledge constant fealty to each other and to the rescue of Lady Gisèle, binding themselves to a shared quest.

### The Loss of Youth and Idealism

Manuel's youthful confidence and desire to remodel the world contrast with Niafer's more pragmatic outlook, hinting at the inevitable disillusionment of youth.

### Appearances vs. Reality

Niafer's deceptions—a common egg passed off as a death-containing egg and an ordinary bridle as Gleipnir—highlight the gap between appearance and truth.

## Character check-ins

### Dom Manuel

Manuel, young and confident, initiates the adventure to rescue Lady Gisèle and repeatedly praises Niafer's cleverness.

### Niafer

Niafer, a small, flat-faced, dark-haired boy, uses wit and deception to outsmart the Serpent of the East and the Serpent of the North, earning Manuel's admiration.

### Miramon Lluagor

Miramon Lluagor, the dread magician, dwells atop Mount Vraidex and sends serpents to destroy Manuel and Niafer.

### Madame Gisèle

The Lady Gisèle d'Arnaye is the object of the rescue mission, believed to be held by Miramon Lluagor.

### Gleipnir

The magical bridle is referenced as a legendary item that Niafer falsely claims to possess in order to deceive the Serpent of the North.

## Key lines

> “Our elders, Niafer, have long had the management of this world’s affairs, and you can see for yourself what they have made of these affairs. What sort of a world is it, I ask you, in which time peculates the gold from hair and the crimson from all lips, and the north wind carries away the glow and glory and contentment of October, and a driveling old magician steals a lovely girl? Why, such maraudings are out of reason, and show plainly that our elders have no notion how to manage things.”

Manuel criticizes the older generation for mismanaging the world, pointing to how time steals youth's beauty and a magician abducts a girl as evidence of their failure.

_Manuel expresses his youthful idealism and disdain for the current state of the world._

> “It is a quite ordinary duck egg, Manuel. But the Serpent of the East has no way of discovering the fact unless he breaks the egg: and that is the one thing the serpent will never do, because he thinks it is the magic egg which contains his death.”

Niafer explains that he tricked the serpent with a normal egg, knowing the serpent would never break it for fear of dying.

_Niafer's cleverness is demonstrated through a simple but effective deception._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/ii-niafer
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/figures_of_earth_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters