osite side to that where it had first been seen, and also immediately
after at the place of its disappearance the Moon was seen, and all over
the sky were visible the countless little lights which the children of
the Moon gave.

Presently, after Bateta had pointed these out to Hanna and the children,
the Moon shone out bland, and its face was covered with gladness, and he
left the sky smiling, and floated down to the earth, and stood not far
off from Bateta, in view of him and his family, and of all the creatures
under the shade.

"Hearken, O Bateta, and ye creatures of prey and pasture. A little
while ago, ye have seen the beginning of the measurement of time, which
shall be divided hereafter into day and night. The time that lapses
between the Sun's rising and its setting shall be called day, that which
shall lapse between its setting and re-rising shall be called night.
The light of the day proceeds from the Sun, but the light of the night
proceeds from me and from my children the stars; and as ye are all my
creatures, I have chosen that my softer light shall shine during the
restful time wherein ye sleep, to recover the strength lost in the
waking time, and that ye shall be daily waked for the working time by
the stronger light of the Sun. This rule never-ending shall remain.

"And whereas Bateta and his wife are the first of creatures, to them,
their families, and kind that shall be born unto them, shall be given
pre-eminence over all creatures made, not that they are stronger, or
swifter, but because to them only have I given understanding and a gift
of speech to transmit it. Perfection and everlasting life had also been
given, but the taint of the Toad remains in the system, and the result
will be death,--death to all living things, Bateta and Hanna excepted.
In the fulness of time, when their limbs refuse to bear the burden of
their bodies and their marrow has become dry, my first-born shall return
to me, and I shall absorb them. Children shall be born innumerable unto
them, until families shall expand into tribes, and from here, as from a
spring, mankind will outflow and overspread all lands, which are now but
wild and wold, ay, even to the farthest edge of the earth.

"And hearken, O Bateta, the beasts which thou seest, have sprung from
the ashes of the Toad. On the day that he measured his power against
mine, and he was consumed by my fire, there was one drop of juice left
in his head. It was a life