ch that I am
ready to lose my senses, and hardly know what I am about. I should be
willing to offer a great reward to any one who would release me from
this annoyance." The Thunderer's son answered, "The best plan would be
to steal the thunder-weapon from my old dad."[52] "I'd do it if it were
possible," answered the Devil, "but old Kou is always on the alert. He
keeps watch on the thunder-weapon day and night; and how is it possible
to steal it?" But the Thunderer's son still maintained that the feat was
possible. "Ay, if you would help me," cried the Devil, "we might perhaps
succeed, but I can't manage it by myself." The Thunderer's son promised
to help him, but demanded no less a reward than that the Devil should
abandon his claim to his soul. "You may keep the soul with all my
heart," cried the Devil delighted, "if you will only release me from
this shocking worry and anxiety." Then the Thunderer's son began to
explain how he thought the business might be managed, if they both
worked well together. "But," he added, "we must wait till my old dad
again tires himself out so much as to fall into a sound sleep, for he
generally sleeps with open eyes, like the hares."

Some time after this conversation, another violent thunderstorm broke
out, which lasted a great while. The Devil and the Thunderer's son again
retreated to their hiding-place under the stone. Terror had so stupefied
the Old Boy, that he could not hear a word of what his companion said.
In the evening they both climbed a high mountain, when the Old Boy took
the Thunderer's son on his shoulders, and began to stretch himself out
by his magic power higher and higher, singing--

"Higher, brother, higher,
To the Cloudland nigher,"

till he had grown up to the edge of the clouds. When the Thunderer's son
peeped over the edge of the clouds, he saw his father Kou sleeping
quietly, with his head resting on a pillow of clouds, but with his right
hand resting across the thunder-instrument. He could not seize the
weapon, for he would have roused the sleeper by touching his hand. The
Thunderer's son now crept from the Devil's shoulder along the clouds as
stealthily as a cat, and taking a louse from behind his own ear, he set
it on his father's nose. The old man raised his hand to scratch his
nose, when his son grasped the thunder-weapon, and jumped from the
clouds on to the back of the Devil, who ran down the mountain as if fire
was burning behind him, and he