a fool. But
what dost thou sing of stars?

_Oan:_

I will begin again:

The bright day is gone.
The night maketh me sad, sad, sad--

_Uk:_

Nay, the night maketh thee sad; not sad, sad, sad. For when I say to
Ala, "Gather thou dried leaves," I say not, "Gather thou dried leaves,
leaves, leaves." Thou art a fool!

_Ok and Un:_

Thou art a fool!

_All the Tribe:_

Thou art a fool!

_Uk:_

Yea, he is a fool. But say on, Oan, and tell us of thy chestnut-burs.

_Oan:_

I will begin again:

The bright day is gone--

_Uk:_

Thou dost not say, "gone, gone, gone!"

_Oan:_

I am thy cub. Suffer that I speak: so shall the tribe admire greatly.

_Uk:_

Speak on!

_Oan:_

I will begin once more:

The bright day is gone.
The night maketh me sad, sad--

_Uk:_

Said I not that "sad" should be spoken but once? Shall I set Ok and Un
upon thee with their branches?

_Oan:_

But it was so born within me--even "sad, sad--"

_Uk:_

If again thou twice or thrice say "sad," thou shalt be dragged to the
Stone.

_Oan:_

Owl Ow! I am thy cub! Yet listen:

The bright day is gone.
The night maketh me sad--

Ow! Ow! thou makest me more sad than the night doth! The song--

_Uk:_

Ok! Un! Be prepared!

_Oan (hastily):_

Nay! have mercy! I will begin afresh:

The bright day is gone.
The night maketh me sad.
The--the--the--

_Uk:_

Thou hast forgotten, and art a fool! See, Ala, he is a fool!

_Ok and Un:_

He is a fool!

_All the Tribe:_

He is a fool!

_Oan:_

I am not a fool! This is a new thing. In the past, when ye did chant, O
men, ye did leap about the Stone, beating your breasts and crying, "Hai,
hai, hai!" Or, if the moon was great, "Hai, hai! hai, hai, hai!" But
this song is made even with such words as ye do speak, and is a great
wonder. One may sit at the cave's mouth, and moan it many times as the
light goeth out of the sky.

_One of the Tribe:_

Ay! even thus doth he sit at the mouth of our cave, making us marvel,
and more especially the women.

_Uk:_

Be still!... When I would make women marvel, I do show them a wolf's
brains upon my club, or the great stone that I cast, or perhaps do whirl
my arms mightily, or bring home much meat. How should a man do
otherwise? I will have no songs in this place.

_Oan:_

Yet suffer that I sing my song unto the tribe. Such things have not been
before. It may be that they shall pra