l, and stood blazingly
bright over it.

"Miserable," he cried, "what hast thou done?"

"Patience, Moon, I but exercised my right and power. It was within me
to do it, and lo, the deed is done."

"Thou hast exalted thyself to be my equal in thine own esteem. Thy
conceit has clouded thy wit, and obscured the memory of the warning I
gave thee. Even hadst thou obtained a charter from me to attempt the
task, thou couldst have done no better than thou hast done. As much as
thou art inferior to me, so these will be inferior to those I could have
endowed this earth with. Thy creatures are pitiful things, mere animals
without sense, without the gift of perception or self-protection. They
see, they breathe, they exist; their lives can be measured by one round
journey of mine. Were it not out of pity for them, I would even let
them die. Therefore for pity's sake I propose to improve somewhat on
what thou hast done: their lives shall be lengthened, and such
intelligence as malformed beings as these can contain will I endow them
with, that they may have guidance through a life which with all my power
must be troubled and sore. But as for thee, whilst thou exist my rage
is perilous to them, therefore to save thy kin I end thee."

Saying which the Moon advanced upon Toad, and the fierce sparks from his
burning face were shot forth, and fell upon the Toad until he was
consumed.

The Moon then bathed in the pool, that the heat of his anger might be
moderated, and the water became so heated that it was like that which is
in a pot over a fire, and he stayed in it until the hissing and bubbling
had subsided.

Then the Moon rose out of the pool, and sought the creatures of Toad:
and when he had found them, he called them unto him, but they were
afraid and hid themselves.

At this sight the Moon smiled, as you sometimes see him on fine nights,
when he is a clear white, and free from stain or blurr, and he was
pleased that Toad's creatures were afraid of him. "Poor things," said
he, "Toad has left me much to do yet before I can make them fit to be
the first of earthly creatures." Saying which he took hold of them, and
bore them to the pool wherein he had bathed, and which had been the home
of Toad. He held them in the water for some time, tenderly bathing
them, and stroking them here and there as a potter does to his
earthenware, until he had moulded them into something similar to the
shape we men and women possess now.