Messenger," answered
the king, again glancing at the sky. "The storm gathers, and when it
breaks none are safe upon this plain except the heaven doctors such as
Hokosa and his companions who can bind the lightning."

So they went and when they reached the further side of the stream Umsuka
descended from his litter.

"Messenger," he said, "this is the story of the god as it has come down
to us. From the beginning our land has been scourged with lightning
above all other lands, and with the floods of rain that accompany the
lightning. In the old days the Great Place of the king was out yonder
among the mountains, but every year fire from heaven fell upon it,
destroying much people: and at length in a great tempest the house of
the king of that day was smitten and burned, and his wives and children
were turned to ashes. Then that king held a council of his wizards
and fire-doctors, and these having consulted the spirits of their
forefathers, retired into a place apart to fast and pray; yes, it was
in yonder valley, the burying ground of kings, that they hid themselves.
Now on the third night the God of Fire appeared to the chief of the
doctors in his sleep, and he was shaped like a burning brand and smoke
went up from him. Out of the smoke he spoke to the doctor, saying: 'For
this reason it is that I torment your people, that they hate me and
curse at me and pay me little honour.'

"In his dream the doctor answered: 'How can the people honour a god that
they do not see?' Then the god said: 'Rise up now in the night, all the
company of you, and go take your stand upon the banks of yonder stream,
and I will fall down in fire from heaven, and there on the plain you
shall find my image. Then let your king move his Great Place into the
valley beneath the plain, and henceforth my bolts shall spare it and
him. Only, month by month you shall make prayers and offerings to me;
moreover, the name of the people shall be changed, for it shall be
called the People of Fire.'

"Now the doctor rose, and having awakened his companions, he told them
of his vision. Then they all of them went down to the banks of this
stream where we now stand. And as they waited there a great tempest
burst over them, and in the midst of that tempest they saw the flaming
figure of a man descend from heaven, and when he touched the earth it
shook. The morning came and there upon the plain before them, where
there had been nothing, sat the likeness of the go