-germ which soon grew into another toad.
Though not equal in power to the parent toad, thou seest what he has
done. Yonder beasts of prey and pasture and fowls are his work. As
fast as they were conceived by him, and uncouth and ungainly they were,
I dipped them into Toad's Pool, and perfected them outwardly, according
to their uses, and, as thou seest, each specimen has its mate. Whereas,
both thou and they alike have the acrid poison of the toad, thou from
the parent, they in a greater measure from the child toad, the mortal
taint when ripe will end both man and beast. No understanding nor gift
of speech has been given to them, and they are as inferior to thyself as
the child toad was to the parent toad. Wherefore, such qualities as
thou mayst discover in them, thou mayst employ in thy services.
Meantime, let them go out each to its own feeding-ground, lair, or
covert, and grow and multiply, until the generations descending from
thee shall have need for them. Enough for thee with the bounties of the
forest, jungle, and plain, are the goats, sheep, and fowls. At thy
leisure, Bateta, thou mayst strike and eat such beasts as thou seest
akin in custom to these that will feed from thy hand. The waters abound
in fish that are thine at thy need, the air swarms with birds which are
also thine, as thy understanding will direct thee.

"Thou wilt be wise to plant all such edibles as thou mayest discover
pleasing to the palate and agreeable to thy body, but be not rash in
assuming that all things pleasant to the eye are grateful to thy
inwards.

"So long as thou and Hanna are on the earth, I promise thee my aid and
counsel; and what I tell thee and thy wife thou wilt do well to teach
thy children, that the memory of useful things be not forgotten--for
after I take thee to myself, I come no more to visit man. Enter thy
house now, for it is a time, as I have told thee, for rest and sleep.
At the shining of the greater light, thou wilt waken for active life and
work, and family care and joys. The beasts shall also wander each to
his home in the earth, on the tops of the trees, in the bush, or in the
cavern. Fare thee well, Bateta, and have kindly care for thy wife Hanna
and the children."

The Moon ended his speech, and floated upward, radiant and gracious,
until he rested in his place in the sky, and all the children of the
Moon twinkled for joy and gladness so brightly, as the parent of the
world entered his house, t