n, or a killing.

"At one side stood Oonah the Death Shadow, and in his hand held his
quiver. And as each punishment was named, into his quiver placed
Oonah an arrow, sharp-pointed, swift-flying, death-carrying.

"The quiver was full, and all had spoken, all save Yaeethl the
Raven, who by the cook pot sat smiling, eating.

"To Yaeethl spoke K'hoots the Grizzly, saying:

"'Dost thou send nothing, Brother? Behold, the Quiver of Death is
full, and from the Raven is there no arrow of punishment for men.
What arrow gives Yaeethl?'

"'Why bother me when I am eating? Is there not time after the pot
is empty? Many arrows there are. Because men insult me shall gods
spoil my eating?' Thus spoke the Raven as he scraped the pot.

"Then Hckt the Frog urged, saying:

"'Art thou a god, or is thy belly a god, that in the council the
Raven takes no part?'

"'A god am I, and a god have I been since the Beginning, thou son
of wind and slime. But that my ears may be no longer troubled, a
little punishment will I send, that the sons of men forget me not.
No arrow from Yaeethl shall find place in Oonah's quiver. Arrow and
messenger both will I send. Thy punishments carry the peace of
death, mine the torment of life.'

"'And this punishment of thine?' asked Hckt, sneering.

"And Yaeethl, as from the pot he cleaned the last morsel, replied:

"'Ta-ka.'

"Of all the punishments named by the gods, the first to reach the
earth was that of Yaeethl,--Ta-ka the Mosquito.

"To Khandatagoot the Woodpecker, the simple-minded, went Ta-ka, and
from the Woodpecker claimed hospitality. And the rights of a
stranger gave Khandatagoot to Ta-ka, gave him a place by the fire,
and of his food a share, for his head a shelter, treating him as
the son of a sister is treated. Together they fished and hunted,
together they ate and slept. Of the hunting and fishing the chief
part was Khandatagoot's, of the eating and sleeping Ta-ka's, Ta-ka
who from Yaeethl came.

"On a morning the Woodpecker fixed his canoe, and alone to the hunt
went the Mosquito.

"All day was Ta-ka gone. Low hung the sun when to camp he returned.
Slow flying came the Mosquito, and as blood is red, so was the body
of Ta-ka, and swelled mightily.

"Then was the Woodpecker frightened, thinking his friend wounded,
and crying, ran to help him. To the ground sank Ta-ka, but no wound
could Khandatagoot find.

"Many questions asked the Woodpecker, and to them Ta-ka replied:

"'No h