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Updated: May 22, 2025
"And were all evil, there would be no need for shamans. Bah! You children-afraid-of-the-dark!" And when Klok-No-Ton arrived on the afternoon tide, Sime's defiant laugh was unabated; nor did he forbear to make a joke when the shaman tripped on the sand in the landing. Klok-No-Ton looked at him sourly, and without greeting stalked straight through their midst to the house of Scundoo.
Of the meeting with Scundoo none of the tribespeople might know, for they clustered reverently in the distance and spoke in whispers while the masters of mystery were together. "Greeting, O Scundoo!" Klok-No-Ton rumbled, wavering perceptibly from doubt of his reception.
"And thou shalt be paid nothing for thy medicine which is of no avail," announced Hooniah, on her feet once more and smarting from a sense of ridiculousness. But Klok-No-Ton saw only the face of Scundoo and its wan, gray smile, heard only the faint far cricket's rasping. "I got it from the man La-lah, and often have I thought," and, "It is a fair day and thy medicine be strong."
He was a giant in stature, and towered massively above little Scundoo, whose thin voice floated upward like the faint far rasping of a cricket. "Greeting, Klok-No-Ton," he returned. "The day is fair with thy coming." "Yet it would seem ..." Klok-No-Ton hesitated.
"It is I who am thy slave, and my days shall be filled with desire to befriend thee." "As I " "As thou now befriendest me." "That being so, it is then a bad business, these blankets of the woman Hooniah?" The big shaman blundered tentatively in his quest, and Scundoo smiled a wan, gray smile, for he was used to reading men, and all men seemed very small to him.
Then, very slowly, came the creak of his steps to the far corner, a pause, and the creaking of his return. The door opened and he came forth. Nothing had happened, and he was the last. "Let the fire be lighted," Scundoo commanded. The bright flames rushed upward, revealing faces yet marked with vanishing fear, but also clouded with doubt. "Surely the thing has failed," Hooniah whispered hoarsely.
The children swarmed mockingly about his feet, and the air was wild with laughter and derision, but that was all. Yet he did not breathe freely until the canoe was well out upon the water, when he rose up and laid a futile curse upon the village and its people, not forgetting to particularly specify Scundoo who had made a mock of him.
"Then hold thy tongue," Bawn cut in, and they separated in anger. When the last silver moonlight had vanished beyond the world, Scundoo came among the people huddled about the house of Hooniah.
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