wassamo in the mean while had lost the sound of his cousin 's voice in the rich simmer of the kettle ; and when its music pleased his ear the most , as announcing that the fish were handsomely cooked , he lifted the kettle from the fire . he spoke to his cousin , but he received no answer . he went on with his housekeeping alone , and took the wooden ladle and skimmed the kettle neatly , for the fish were very plump and fat . wassamo had a torch of twisted bark in one hand to give light , and when he came to take out the fish , there was no one to have charge of the torch . the cousin was so happy in his sleep , with the silver moon kissing his cheeks , as though she were enamored of his fair looks , that wassamo had not the heart to call him up . binding his girdle upon his brow , in this he thrust the torch , and went forward , with the light dancing through the green leaves at every turn of his head , to prepare the evening meal . he again spoke to his cousin , but gently , to learn whether he was in truth asleep . the cousin murmured , but made no reply ; and wassamo stepped softly about with the dancing fire - plume lighting up the gloom of the forest at every turn he made . suddenly he heard a laugh it was double , or the one must be the perfect echo of the other . to wassamo there appeared to be two persons at no great distance . " cousin , " said wassamo , " some person is near us . i hear a laugh ; awake and let us look out ! " the cousin made no answer . again wassamo heard the laughter in mirthful repetition , like the ripple of the water - brook upon the shining pebbles of the stream . peering out as far as the line of the torchlight pierced into the darkness , he beheld two beautiful young females smiling on him . their countenances appeared to be perfectly white , like the fresh snow . he crouched down and pushed his cousin , saying , in a low voice , " awake ! awake ! here are two young women . " but he received no answer . his cousin seemed lost to all earthly sense and sound ; for he lay unmoved , smiling , in the calm light of the moon . wassamo started up alone , and glided toward the strange females . as he approached them he was more and more enraptured with their beauty ; but just as he was about to speak to them , he suddenly fell to the earth , and they all three vanished together . the moon shone where they had just stood , but she saw them not . a gentle sound of music and soft voices accompanied their vanishing , and this wakened the cousin . 
his cousin did not wake up .
why was wassamo trying to wake his cousin up so frantically ?
why was wassamo trying to wake his cousin up so frantically ?