Away from crisp air and rapid waters, Mokosh did wander the caves amongst dead and musty puddles.

Veles did then appear, full of gloom but also thirst, desire, and longing. The goddess was frightened, though she did not reveal it.

The vestibules of his kingdom were uninviting and filled with meandering vermin, but as Veles did lead her onwards, the sights did change most drastically. Oh, how marvellous were his caverns! Rising ribs of mountains filled with jewels and covered with gold, all glittering with power to dispel darkness and please the eye!

Beauty was aplenty in Veles’s kingdom but lacking life, and Mokosh did feel sorry for him, as she did recognise his longing. When he looked at her with sadness and silence, he saw a miracle of life, but one that couldst fall apart should it ever be touched by him. He couldst only sculpt dead objects in the Underworld, and whatever plants and animals he had made on the Surface ventured no further than the vestibules of his realm.