Legends do, of course, get somewhat distorted in the passage of time. In the future, the passage across space to other planets may cause a slight modification here and there.
He who grins in clown's disguise Often hides an aching heart- Sadness, sometimes worldly-wise, Dresses for a motley part- Cap, and bells to cheat the ears, Chalk and paint to hide the tears Lest the world, divining pain, Turn to gape and stare again.
Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders. So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew....
Allan Stern and his secretary Beatrice Kendricks awake in New York City, one thousand years after an asteroid destroys most life on earth. Just his luck, Allan is a master engineer and can make explosives, build bridges, fly bi-planes, etc. Beatrice is the gorgeous, spunky blond along for the ride (she even gets kidnapped by a giant gorilla at one point!).In the first part the discussion is of what happened, and how they will save themselves and rebuild civilization.
A young, independently wealthy traveller (the narrator), who accidentally finds his way into a subterranean, strange world occupied by beings who seem to resemble angels and call themselves Vril-ya.