"They are our ministers and servants, white for the white, and black for
the black, the companions of our wanderings, men and not spirits."

The three priests consulted together, while the chief looked on Juanna's
beauty with wondering eyes. Then the oldest of them spoke again:

"Thou tellest us in our own tongue of things that have long been hidden,
though perchance they are remembered. Either, O Beautiful, thou hast
learned these things and liest to us, and then food are ye all for the
Snake against whom thou dost blaspheme, or ye are gods indeed, and
as gods ye shall be worshipped. Tell us now thy name, and the name of
yonder dwarf, of whom we know."

"I am named the Shepherdess of Heaven among men. He is named Otter,
Dweller in the Waters, among men. Once we had other names."

"Tell us the other names, O Shepherdess."

"Once in the far past I was named Brightness, I was named Dawn, I was
named Daylight. Once in the far past he was named Silence, he was named
Terror, he was named Darkness. Yet at the beginning we had other names.
Perchance ye know them, Ministers of the Snake."

"Perchance we know them, O thou who art named Shepherdess of Heaven, O
thou who wert named Brightness, and Dawn, and Daylight; O thou who art
named Dweller in the Waters, and wert named Silence, and Terror, and
Darkness! Perchance we know them, although they be known to few, and are
never spoken, save in utter gloom and with hidden head. But do ye
know them, those names of the beginning? For if ye know them not, O
Beautiful, ye lie and ye blaspheme, and ye are food for the Snake."

"Seldom through all the years have those holy names been spoken save in
utter darkness and with covered heads," Juanna answered boldly; "but now
is the new hour, the hour of the coming, and now they shall be called
aloud in the light of day from open lips and with uplifted eyes.
Hearken, Children of the Snake, these are the names by which we were
known in the beginning: _Aca_ is my name, the Mother of the Snake. _Jal_
is he named, who is the Snake. Say, do ye know us now?"

As these words rang on her lips a groan of terror burst from every man
who heard them. Then the aged priest cried aloud: "Down upon your faces,
ye Children of the Snake; Worship, all ye People of the Spear, Dwellers
in the Mist! Aca, the Queen immortal, has come home again: Jal, the god,
has put on the flesh of men. Olfan, lay down thy kingship, it is his: ye
priests, throw wide the te