'Something really important has happened here today,' she said in hoarse, solemn whisper, and the younger children at once crept closer to the older ones. 'A man has come to Smith's Town from the outside world, from somewhere other than Post Office Town!' Ida-Anna allowed her eyes to roam enquiringly over the faces before her to make sure that the importance of this event was properly understood. 'The man says his name is Odin.' She lowered her voice, and a small girl began to cry. ‘Ssh1' hissed Ida-Anna, with a touch of irritation, and Bodil lifted her little sister onto her lap. 'He says his name is Odin', Ida-Anna repeated, 'But Odin is not his real name.' Again Ida-Anna inspected the faces in the semi-darkness. ‘You must all swear not to breathe a word of what I'm going to tell you, or I won’t tell you anything at all,' she said.