Ransom awakens after his strenuous swim to find a long-legged bird singing nearby. It is daylight. He discovers that he is back on his own island. Several other islands, including the one with the woman on it, have gathered and created a sort of continent in the calm water. He sees the woman walking and singing to herself. He hails her, and she turns and begins to speak. Ransom is overwhelmed in part by the fact that she is also fully naked. He finds himself not aroused but aware of his own body. The woman apologizes for laughing at him. They discuss concepts of time and space. She explains that Maleldil created everything in the Field of Arbor, which explains their similar appearance.

Ransom requests to stop talking, as he is exhausted, and then asks to come to her island, which she accepts. He finds himself fatigued after swimming over and falls asleep. He awakens to find the dragon and a yellow, wallaby-like creature waiting for him. They lead him to the woman. In conversation with her, he learns that there is a King on the planet and that these two are the only humanoids. They have lost each other and now the woman waits for him, so that she may have children.