Previous - Next

And
it was so--just so--a little time ago--on the banks of the big
Wagai!

OF all the Tribe of Tegumai
Who cut that figure, none remain,--
On Merrow Down the cuckoos cry
The silence and the sun remain.

But as the faithful years return
And hearts unwounded sing again,
Comes Taffy dancing through the fern
To lead the Surrey spring again.

Her brows are bound with bracken-fronds,
And golden elf-locks fly above;
Her eyes are bright as diamonds
And bluer than the skies above.

In mocassins and deer-skin cloak,
Unfearing, free and fair she flits,
And lights her little damp-wood smoke
To show her Daddy where she flits.

For far--oh, very far behind,
So far she cannot call to him,
Comes Tegumai alone to find
The daughter that was all to him.




THE CRAB THAT PLAYED WITH THE SEA

BEFORE the High and Far-Off Times, O my Best Beloved, came the
Time of the Very Beginnings; and that was in the days when the
Eldest Magician was getting Things ready. First he got the Earth
ready; then he got the Sea ready; and then he told all the
Animals that they could come out and play. And the Animals said,
'O Eldest Magician, what shall we play at?' and he said, 'I will
show you. He took the Elephant--All-the-Elephant-there-was--and
said, 'Play at being an Elephant,' and All-the-Elephant-there-was
played. He took the Beaver--All-the-Beaver-there-was and said,
'Play at being a Beaver,' and All-the Beaver-there-was played.
He took the Cow--All-the Cow-there-was--and said, 'Play at being
a Cow,' and All-the-Cow-there-was played. He took the
Turtle--All-the-Turtle there-was and said, 'Play at being a
Turtle,' and All-the-Turtle-there-was played. One by one he took
all the beasts and birds and fishes and told them what to play at.

But towards evening, when people and things grow restless and
tired, there came up the Man (With his own little
girl-daughter?)--Yes, with his own best beloved little
girl-daughter sitting upon his shoulder, and he said, 'What is
this play, Eldest Magician?' And the Eldest Magician said, 'Ho,
Son of Adam, this is the play of the Very Beginning; but you are
too wise for this play.' And the Man saluted and said, 'Yes, I am
too wise for this play; but see that you make all the Animals
obedient to me.'

Now, while the two were talking together, Pau Amma the Crab, who
was next in the game, scuttled off sideways and stepped into the
sea, saying to himself, 'I will play my play alone in the deep
waters, and I will never be obedient to this son of Adam.' Nobody
saw him go away except the little girl-daughter where she leaned
on the Man's shoulder. And the play went on till there were no
more Animals left without orders; and the Eldest Magician wiped
the fine dust off his hands and walked about the world to see how
the Animals were playing.

Previous - Next