soon perceived the deficiency, and sought to remedy it. So
he ordered Ilmarine[55] to see that it should be light on earth by
night as well as by day. Ilmarine listened to the command, and went to
his forge, where he had already forged the firmament. He threw in
silver, and cast it into a large round ball. He covered it with thick
gold, lighted a bright fire inside, and ordered it to proceed on its
course across the sky. Then he forged innumerable stars, covered them
thinly with gold, and fixed each in its place in the firmament.

Now began a new life for the earth. The sun had hardly set, and was
borne away by the evening glow, when the golden moon arose from the
borders of the sky, set out on his blue path, and illuminated the
darkness of night just as the sun illumines the day. Around him twinkled
the innumerable host of stars, and accompanied him like a king, until at
length he reached the other side of the heavens. Then the stars retired
to rest, the moon quitted the firmament, and the sun was conducted by
the morning redness to his place, in order that he should give light to
the world.

After this, ample light shone upon the earth from above both by day and
by night; for the face of the moon was just as clear and bright as that
of the sun, and his rays diffused equal warmth. But the sun often shone
so fiercely by day that no one was able to work. Thus they preferred to
work under the light of the nocturnal keeper of the heavens, and all men
rejoiced in the gift of the moon.

But the Devil was very much annoyed at the moon, because he could not
carry on his evil practices in his bright light. Whenever he went out in
search of prey, he was recognised a long way off, and was driven back
home in disgrace. Thus it came about that during all this time he only
succeeded in bagging two souls.

So he sat still day and night pondering on what he could do to better
his prospects. At last he summoned two of his companions, but they could
not give him any good advice. So the three of them consulted together in
care and trouble, but nothing feasible occurred to them. On the seventh
day they had nothing left to eat, and they sat there sighing, rubbing
their empty stomachs, and racking their brains with thought. At last a
lucky idea occurred to the Devil himself.

"Comrades," he exclaimed, "I know what we can do. We must get rid of the
moon, if we want to save ourselves. If there's no moon in the sky, we
shall be just as v