s of hot rice
and fish over the fire he was greatly troubled. After he had eaten
he walked a long time in the fresh air. "Perhaps it is done by the
lovely woman who looks like a flame of fire," he said. "If she comes
again I will try to catch her."

The next day the Sun shone in the sky as before, and when the afternoon
grew late he called to the Big Star to hurry to take his place, for he
was impatient to reach home. As he drew near the house he saw that it
again looked as if it was on fire. He crept quietly up the ladder, and
when he had reached the top he sprang in and shut the door behind him.

Aponibolinayen, who was cooking rice over the fire, was surprised and
angry that she had been caught; but the Sun gave her betel-nut [5]
which was covered with gold, and they chewed together and told each
other their names. Then Aponibolinayen took up the rice and fish,
and as they ate they talked together and became acquainted.

After some time Aponibolinayen and the Sun were married, and every
morning the Sun went to shine in the sky, and upon his return at night
he found his supper ready for him. He began to be troubled, however,
to know where the food came from, for though he brought home a fine
fish every night, Aponibolinayen always refused to cook it.

One night he watched her prepare their meal, and he saw that, instead
of using the nice fish he had brought, she only dropped a stick into
the pot of boiling water.

"Why do you try to cook a stick?" asked Ini-init in surprise.

"So that we can have fish to eat," answered his wife.

"If you cook that stick for a month, it will not be soft," said
Ini-init. "Take this fish that I caught in the net, for it will
be good."

But Aponibolinayen only laughed at him, and when they were ready to
eat she took the cover off the pot and there was plenty of nice soft
fish. The next night and the next, Aponibolinayen cooked the stick,
and Ini-init became greatly troubled for he saw that though the stick
always supplied them with fish, it never grew smaller.

Finally he asked Aponibolinayen again why it was that she cooked the
stick instead of the fish he brought, and she said:

"Do you not know of the woman on earth who has magical power and can
change things?"

"Yes," answered the Sun, "and now I know that you have great power."

"Well, then," said his wife, "do not ask again why I cook the stick."

And they ate their supper of rice and the fish which the stick made.