g out his chest, he strode valiantly past them, utterly ignoring
their presence.

From behind him a voice called whimperingly. It was the lion's, the King
of Beasts, squeaky and falsetto with panic. "Master, thou art wise. What
has happened? Tell us."

Had he known how, the Man would have laughed. But the laugh comes later
in the story. Without turning his head, still going away from them he
answered. "It is a punishment for what thou and thy people have done to
me and my Woman, oh, lion."

He had made the answer up on the spur of the moment; he knew no more
than they did what had happened. But he loved inventing and was never
so content as when he was pretending that he was God.

Immediately they forgot the wrong answers he had given them and how he
had deceived them in the past. The leaves rustled as they lifted up
their heads from between their paws. Their voices trembled as one when
they besought him, "Master, stay with us. We are in terror. Make it
leave off."

Turning slowly, he blinked at them through the dimness. Folding his
arms, he regarded them thoughtfully with his legs wide apart. He did it
as he supposed God might have done it. He spoke at last. "It's only just
begun. Why should I make it leave off?"

"Because thou art strong and we are repentant."

Their manner was so humble and adoring that he felt sorry for them.
They had begged his pardon in the same words that he had intended to
beg God's. And then he was just--the only just creature that God had
created. In his heart he knew that he had merited their revenge--there
was scarcely one of them at whom he had not hurled his rocks. He came
back walking in stately fashion till he stood fearlessly in the centre
of them. Looking up through the burdened branches at the calamity which
he did not understand, he commanded, "Leave off."

To his immense surprise, on the instant the snow ceased falling. It
settled gently like a tired bird into its nest. The serenity of the
stillness was unbroken.

"I am hungry," he said.

The animals hurried to their stores of food and waited on him.

"I have not slept."

The squirrels scraped fallen leaves into a bed, and the bear and the
wolf stood guard.

When he awoke it was a brilliant winter's morning. The sun was
charioteering in highest heaven. The forest was white as though
cotton-wool had blown through it. As far as eye could search, everything
glittered, sheathed in a film of glass. Snow bulged from branc