e rivers. Who die in that
water--ye know how men say--come to us without punishment, and Gunga
knows that the fire-carriage has borne to her scores upon scores of
such anxious ones; and Kali knows that she has held her chiefest
festivals among the pilgrimages that are fed by the fire-carriage. Who
smote at Pooree, under the Image there, her thousands in a day and a
night, and bound the sickness to the wheels of the fire-carriages, so
that it ran from one end of the land to the other? Who but Kali?
Before the fire-carriage came it was a heavy toil. The fire-carriages
have served thee well, Mother of Death. But I speak for mine own
altars, who am not Bhairon of the Common Folk, but Shiv. Men go to and
fro, making words and telling talk of strange Gods, and I listen.
Faith follows faith among my people in the schools, and I have no
anger; for when the words are said, and the new talk is ended, to Shiv
men return at the last."

"True. It is true," murmured Hanuman. "To Shiv and to the others,
mother, they return. I creep from temple to temple in the North, where
they worship one God and His Prophet; and presently my image is alone
within their shrines."

"Small thanks," said the Buck, turning his head slowly. "I am that One
and His Prophet also."

"Even so, father," said Hanuman. "And to the South I go who am the
oldest of the Gods as men know the Gods, and presently I touch the
shrines of the new faith and the Woman whom we know is hewn
twelve-armed, and still they call her Mary."

"Small thanks, brother," said the Tigress. "I am that Woman."

"Even so, sister; and I go West among the fire-carriages, and stand
before the bridge-builder in many shapes, and because of me they
change their faiths and are very wise. Ho! ho! I am the builder of
bridges, indeed--bridges between this and that, and each bridge leads
surely to Us in the end. Be content, Gunga. Neither these men nor
those that follow them mock thee at all."

"Am I alone, then, Heavenly Ones? Shall I smooth out my flood lest
unhappily I bear away their walls? Will Indra dry my springs in the
hills and make me crawl humbly between their wharfs? Shall I bury me
in the sand ere I offend?"

"And all for the sake of a little iron bar with the fire-carriage
atop. Truly, Mother Gunga is always young!" said Ganesh the Elephant.
"A child had not spoken more foolishly. Let the dirt dig in the dirt
ere it return to the dirt. I know only that my people grow rich and
pr