Laughing hoarsely, Henga went back into the cave,
and Wi and all theothers slipped away. When a woman sends a man to seek a sign from
thegods, that sign will always be the one she wishes. Then, causing Wi to strip off
his cloak, hemade him lie down and rubbed him all over with seal oil.
Laughing hoarsely, Henga went back into the cave,
and Wi and all theothers slipped away.
He will eat the whole fish and be heavy when it
comes tofighting. At least, if you kill Henga,Foh shall live and not die as Fo-a
died. Would you then be chief of the tribe, Wolf-man? But we women see further, and
we aresure that Pag is a wolf by night, if a dwarf by day.
Would they not make more to play with andto kill?
When I have brayed it as I know how, it will make a cloak forFoh.
Take no heed of his words, Brother, said Moananga
the Happy-faced. Moreover,see, to make sure I have lashed it about with hide at
every thumbslength.
Henga glowered at him, gnawing at his lip, then
said:So be it, dog. Aaka watched him go, muttering toherself:He is right. Still,
waitfor me an hour, even if Aaka is angry, as she will be. Aye, Wi, snarled Pag, his
one eye flashing with hate.
Outside the hut, he met Aaka, who was wandering to
and fro in an ill-humour. Go now to the hut; as I have said, the way is open, and
tellyour own tale to Wi.
Yes, Wi, I think that, though I dont know why I
think it.
Yet, if you hold that we live no more after our
breathleaves us, tell me one thing. Killthat man tiger, Wi, and never mind the great
black bear. So is your knife, Pag, and so are you, down to the heels. Therefore, he
can be killed if anyone isstrong enough to break in that thick skull of his. The
blow that shatters the beststone ax leaves it unmarked.
Wolves their progenitors had been, thoughhow long
before it was impossible to say.
I wonder also why they all think he is half awolf.
But it is lawful that I should kill him, and I will.
You do ill to reproach me, Aaka, who am your
bestfriend. Why is it thatthe summers have turned cold and the spring does not
come?
The place within was quite spacious, sixteen feet
long, perhaps, byabout twelve in breadth. When Pag reached the hut, he sent Aaka and
Foh out of it, leavinghimself alone with Wi.
Did I throw away my right eye or did awoman dash it
out against a stone? I went with him because of words whichyou had spoken which you
will remember well. Hou the Unstable sprangup at length and said that he was not
afraid and would be the leader.