This was a popular question. The question demands that candidates discuss the journey embarked upon by the Maggi and how it reflects their mood. The responses of candidates lacked textual references.
The requirements of the question include:

• Statement of the theme of the search for a spiritual encounter/rebirth and its aftermath.
• Explanation of simile.
• Mood of anxiety and regret: the journey begins in winter, ‘Just the worst time of the year.’ The Magi regret, at times, the comforts of other times.
• Mood of expectancy/hope: this is associated with dawn and spring as they came down to a temperate valley. The Magi are filled with hope that they are drawing near the journey’s end as they notice signs of life and, unfortunately, ignore the associated symbols of death.
• Mood of satisfaction leading to discontent: the Magi ‘arrived at evening,’ finding the place… satisfactory. This mood is soon qualified by doubt ‘…were we led all that way for/birth or death?’ The magi return to ‘our places, these kingdoms’. However, they are ‘no longer at ease’ there.

Candidates’ performance in the question was fair.