ng for the Worlds of Light that
lay locked in the chest of the Wise Man.

"Klingatona-Kla, Earth Mother, wept long and sore when
empty-handed returned Yaeethl, loud she wailed, making sure
she must remain forever dark and barren. But Yaeethl, the
Undaunted, comforted her with strong words, and renewed his
promise that the Light should be given her in marriage, and
her disgrace forgotten in many children, children should she
have as the shore has sand.

"Though he had flown as speeds Hoon, the North Wind, the going
and coming of Yaeethl had eaten three winters and two summers.

"Awhile he rested in the lap of Klingatona-Kla, for the winter
he rested, but with the coming of the spring, he spread again
his wings and took flight towards the lodge of the Wise Man,
towards the Great Desire. Mightily he flew, and swift, for
though the dead make the journey between the opening and the
closing of an eye, for the living it is a long trail.

"When again he alighted, wing weary, by the spring where the
daughter of Yakootsekaya-ka drew water, Yaeethl remembered the
shape and whiteness that had betrayed him, remembered the
traitor Pebble, and from the memory gathered wisdom.

"Close to his side folded he the wings of whiteness, beneath
his feathers tucked head and feet, and grew small. Small and
yet smaller he grew, as melts ice before the fire, and when
the shrinking was ended he had taken upon himself the form of
Thlay-oo, the sand grain. As Thlay-oo, the Little, he waited.

"As Thlay-oo, the Invisible, watched Yaeethl for the coming of
the maiden. Waited as does the bear for the coming of Takeete,
the After Winter. Watched as does the lynx for the young
caribou.

"And as before came the girl, cup in hand, innocent in her
maidenhood, wise in her womanhood, in both beautiful.
Gracefully she stooped and filled the cup with the water of
the spring. Into the cup floated Yaeethl in the shape of
Thlay-oo. In the spring water he sank and lay against the
bottom of the cup. Small was Yaeethl, but big with desire for
what was within the chest of the Wise Man.

"Then the lodge door opened and received the maiden and the
cup, received Yaeethl the Grain of Sand, Yaeethl the Raven.

"To Yakootsekaya-ka, her father, the girl gave the cup, and