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Updated: June 18, 2025
You will bear the marks of your disgrace with you forever. And that is why the gura has a short tail and the feathers on the head of the chapla are singed even to this day." A chorus of "Oh's" escaped the cluster of eager listeners. "Tell us another story." "What do you want me to tell about?" Oomah asked indulgently. "Tell us about the rivers."
"Oh, did you see these things Oomah," the eager listeners asked. "No," came the reply, regretfully. "Then, who did see them? Who told you of them?" "Long, long ago the Cantanas were a powerful people. They built the largest canoes and travelled to the river's end. They saw them. The story of their wandering came to me from my mother."
The point of the arrow was dipped into the concoction and revolved until it was covered with a uniform, heavy coating. There was now no doubt as to the efficacy of the missile. Day after day Oomah roamed the forest and the sandbars for some sign of his quarry, but there was not the slightest trace to be found.
May none of you ever come under the spell of this vile spirit." The tale was interrupted at this time. A shadow flashed past them on the sand. "See, see," Oomah shouted, jumping to his feet. He pointed to a black bird, a vulture, that was circling over their heads. "The omen never fails. Siluk is coming; he is upon us. Look! look!" He was now pointing to the fleeting shadow on the sand.
"In the very beginning of things, many, many changes of the season ago, the gura and the chapla were just alike," Oomah said impressively, holding up one hand for further emphasis. "They were married one day just as the rains were about to stop for good and the floods were going back into the rivers where they belonged. But, they were not happy. Before long they quarrelled.
The men were dozing in their hammocks; the women had built fires over which to roast the turtle meat for the evening meal. And the children played in the sand. A shout went up suddenly from one of the group. "Here comes Oomah now." "Yes! We will run to meet Oomah," another said. "See, he brings birds from the forest."
"When we are men," one of the boys said, "we will make a great canoe. Then you will take us to see the water that is so broad it has no other side." "No," Oomah said sadly. "It is impossible, for since that day white men have come in countless numbers and settled along the borders of the Father of Waters. Little by little they are pushing up the river. Some day they will be even here."
One of the young men was sent immediately to fetch the emblem while the girl prepared food which Oomah ate with ravenous appetite. Presently the runner returned; in his hand was the tuft of plumes, now soiled and frayed from hard usage.
The turtles had finished their laying and had returned to the water; their eggs, buried in the hot sand, were now unfit to eat. However, there was still an occasional partridge, a monkey or a turkey-like curassow and when one of them was secured Oomah ate sparingly so that the meat lasted several days.
"And today," Oomah, youngest but most fearless of the hunters panted, "I pursued a she-pig in the forest. Three young were running at her heels instead of two." "The signs do not lie," Choflo returned. "Look! See how the sand in the islands and on the riverbank is cracking! Tumwah is angry.
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