Long-leggity beasties. Long-leggity Beasties were domesticated at an early time in Umbagollian history. These high, slim-legged creatures, whose tempers range from placid to vicious depending on the species, the time of year and the individual animal, provide travellers with a fast, if not especially strong, means of transport. Individual beasties are loved, befriended, coaxed, maltreated, whipped, pampered and ridden from one end of the country to the other. They are skittish, but possess surprising powers of endurance for such scanty animals. Children play with beastie-shaped toys (like the one in the picture) and singers reflect on their usefulness. Beasties are edible, but they are commonly regarded as mounts rather than a source of food. Beastie milk, on the other hand, is a popular drink. Thick, sweet and coloured light pink, it can be found in cakes and sauces everywhere except the Falling Hills, where the rocky terrain makes beastie farming difficult. The people most dependant on beasties are Umbagollah's messengers, whose working lives are spent riding across the country on beastie-back. They have a store of songs and poems about the animals. One example runs: "His legs they dance so wide and wild I see the eyes are half a child My darling child, let's run away, Between the crack of night and day."