<P>' Twas right, said they, such birds to slay, That bring the fog and mist . </P> <P> They soon find that they made a grave mistake in supporting this crime, as it arouses the wrath of spirits who then pursue the ship "from the land of mist and snow"; the south wind that had initially led them from the land of ice now sends the ship into uncharted waters near the equator, where it is becalmed . </P> <P> Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean . Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink . The very deep did rot--Oh Christ! That ever this should be . Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs, Upon the slimy sea . </P> <P> The sailors change their minds again and blame the mariner for the torment of their thirst . In anger, the crew forces the mariner to wear the dead albatross about his neck, perhaps to illustrate the burden he must suffer from killing it, or perhaps as a sign of regret: </P>

When does the rime of the ancient mariner take place