were frightened and kept in the background, but that was as it should be anyhow. Now ya-Kela settled down to toil with the
newcomer as he might have settled down to chasing a onehorn till it dropped. And as God mounted yethigher in heaven, serious talk became possible. It went haltingly, with many misunderstandings; but it went.
The great question was hardest to pose and get answered. Ya-Valland seemed to make an honest effort, but his words contradicted
each other. Yes, he was from God. No, he was not of God … Finally he swung to asking questions himself. Ya-Kela replied, in
the hope of making himself clear when his turn came again.
“God is the Begetter, the One of the World. All others are less than Him. We pray to God alone, as He has commanded,” ya-Kela
said, pointing and acting. He returned from the cave mouth and squatted against his tail once more. The fire was big, throwing
the painted walls into lurid smoky relief. But it didn’t appear to make much light for ya-Valland.
“The downdevils are the enemies of God. They deny Him, as does the Herd which serves them. But we know we are right to course
for God: because He does not rule our lives. He asks only worship and upright conduct of us. Furthermore, He lights the night
for us, on those times when He is risen after sunset. And then the downdevils can see but poorly.” Mutter: “Almost as poorly
as you, my friend-?-enemy.” Aloud: “Such of the Herd as we have captured when they came raiding say the downdevils made the
world and rule it. And true, they have powerful things to give. But the price is freedom.”
“The Herd people are like you, then?” ya-Valland asked.
“Yes and no. Many of them resemble us, and we have learned over generations that certain Azkashi whom Herd raiders take prisoner
are used for breeding stock. But others look most unlike any member of this Pack or any other Pack, and none of them think
like us. They are afraid of God, even when the sun is in the sky at the same time to hide Him; and they worship the downdevils.”
That much conversation took the entire while between two sleeps. Then ya-Kela must judge disputes among his folk;for he was the One. Meanwhile ya-Valland studied language with su-Kulka? su-Iss, and other wise old shes.
Thus he was better able to explain himself at the following talk: “We fell from the sky, where our own Pack hunts. We cannot
return until we have fixed our boat. That will be the work of many years, and cannot be done without many hands. For this
we will pay in goods, blades such as we gave you, tools that will lighten your labor, perhaps also teaching of arts you do
not know yourselves.”
“But how shall the Pack be fed meanwhile?” ya-Kela asked.
“Given the use of certain weapons we own, fewer hunters can bring in ample game. Besides, they will soon drive off those enemies
who trouble you.”
Now this I may doubt
, ya-Kela thought.
You showed us your thunderous arms back at your camp. But are they really more potent than the downdevils’? I do not know.
Perhaps you do not either
.
He said merely, “That is good; yet such is not the ancient way. When you go, and leave a large number of our youngs who have
not had time to learn the skills we live by, what then?”
“
You’re one hell of a bright boy, you know?
” said ya-Valland in his own speech. He replied, “We must consider that also. If we plan well, there need be no hungry years;
for the tools and weapons you earn will keep you fed until the old ways are learned afresh. Or it is even possible—though
this I cannot promise—that my people will wish to come and trade with yours.”
He leaned forward, his eyes brilliant in the firelight, the musicmaker in his lap talking sweetly as God Himself. “We must
begin in a small way in any case, ya-Kela. Find me only a few clever young hes that are willing to come back with me and work
for knives like yours. Then, in the course of a
newcomer as he might have settled down to chasing a onehorn till it dropped. And as God mounted yethigher in heaven, serious talk became possible. It went haltingly, with many misunderstandings; but it went.
The great question was hardest to pose and get answered. Ya-Valland seemed to make an honest effort, but his words contradicted
each other. Yes, he was from God. No, he was not of God … Finally he swung to asking questions himself. Ya-Kela replied, in
the hope of making himself clear when his turn came again.
“God is the Begetter, the One of the World. All others are less than Him. We pray to God alone, as He has commanded,” ya-Kela
said, pointing and acting. He returned from the cave mouth and squatted against his tail once more. The fire was big, throwing
the painted walls into lurid smoky relief. But it didn’t appear to make much light for ya-Valland.
“The downdevils are the enemies of God. They deny Him, as does the Herd which serves them. But we know we are right to course
for God: because He does not rule our lives. He asks only worship and upright conduct of us. Furthermore, He lights the night
for us, on those times when He is risen after sunset. And then the downdevils can see but poorly.” Mutter: “Almost as poorly
as you, my friend-?-enemy.” Aloud: “Such of the Herd as we have captured when they came raiding say the downdevils made the
world and rule it. And true, they have powerful things to give. But the price is freedom.”
“The Herd people are like you, then?” ya-Valland asked.
“Yes and no. Many of them resemble us, and we have learned over generations that certain Azkashi whom Herd raiders take prisoner
are used for breeding stock. But others look most unlike any member of this Pack or any other Pack, and none of them think
like us. They are afraid of God, even when the sun is in the sky at the same time to hide Him; and they worship the downdevils.”
That much conversation took the entire while between two sleeps. Then ya-Kela must judge disputes among his folk;for he was the One. Meanwhile ya-Valland studied language with su-Kulka? su-Iss, and other wise old shes.
Thus he was better able to explain himself at the following talk: “We fell from the sky, where our own Pack hunts. We cannot
return until we have fixed our boat. That will be the work of many years, and cannot be done without many hands. For this
we will pay in goods, blades such as we gave you, tools that will lighten your labor, perhaps also teaching of arts you do
not know yourselves.”
“But how shall the Pack be fed meanwhile?” ya-Kela asked.
“Given the use of certain weapons we own, fewer hunters can bring in ample game. Besides, they will soon drive off those enemies
who trouble you.”
Now this I may doubt
, ya-Kela thought.
You showed us your thunderous arms back at your camp. But are they really more potent than the downdevils’? I do not know.
Perhaps you do not either
.
He said merely, “That is good; yet such is not the ancient way. When you go, and leave a large number of our youngs who have
not had time to learn the skills we live by, what then?”
“
You’re one hell of a bright boy, you know?
” said ya-Valland in his own speech. He replied, “We must consider that also. If we plan well, there need be no hungry years;
for the tools and weapons you earn will keep you fed until the old ways are learned afresh. Or it is even possible—though
this I cannot promise—that my people will wish to come and trade with yours.”
He leaned forward, his eyes brilliant in the firelight, the musicmaker in his lap talking sweetly as God Himself. “We must
begin in a small way in any case, ya-Kela. Find me only a few clever young hes that are willing to come back with me and work
for knives like yours. Then, in the course of a
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