The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-08-09
lied to VOL


"Perchanoe this was so, UmslOpe-
gaas." answered Galazi the Wolf. Per
haps / dreamed. or perhaps the Deal
One lied. Nevertheless. if he lied IN
this matter, in other matters be did not
lie, as you shall hear.
After l had heard these words, or
had dreamed that heard them. slept
indeed. and when l woke remembered
the dream that had dreamed. 50 I
rose. and leaving the cave found place
where | might climb up to the breasts
and head Of the Stone Witch. l climbed.
and as l drew near the likeness TO the
face of woman faded away and | saw
nothing before me but rugged heaps Of
piled up rock. NowI was on the breast
of the mountain and wandered to and
fro awhile between great heaps of stone.
At length | found a crack in the stone,
and near this crack stood great stones
blackened by fire and beneath them
broken pots and a knife of flint.
looked down into the crack-it was very
deep and green with moss and tall ferns
grew about in it There was nothing
else. had dreamed lying dream !
turned to 90. then found another mind
4.
ing aside the ferns. Beneath the ferns
was moss. scTaped It away with the
Watcher. Presently the iron of the
club struck Oh something that was yell
low and round like a stone, and from
the yellow thing came a hollow sound
lifted it. 1t was the skull of a child.
81 dug deeper and scraped away more
moss. Beneath the moss was nothing
but bones Of men-Old bones that had
lain there many years: the little ones
had rotted. the large ones remained.
some were yellow, some black and 9th
ers yet white. They We're not broken as
are those that hyenas and wolves have
worried. yet on some Of them | could
see the marks of teeth. Then / went
back 20 the cave.
Now | skinned the she wolf also
When had done the sun was up and
knew that it was time to go. But / must
MOI 20 alone-he who sat aloft in the
cleft Of the cave must go with me. 1
feared greatly to touch him-this Dead
One who had spoken to me III dream
yet must do it. So l brought stones
and piled them up until l could reach
him Then l lifted him down, for he
"
bones. When he was down bound the
hides of the wolves around me. l placed
him on my shoulders, and holding him
Dy that foot which was left on him | set
cut for the kraal Down the slope |
went till l drew near to the heart of the
forest. Then l heard a wolf howl Oh
my right and from the left came an
swering bowls, and these again were an
swered 10y others in front of and be-
hind me.
Now 1 could see forms of gray and
black sinking near my path, shifting at
the air as they went, and now l came TO
a little open place, and behold! all the
wolves IN the world were gathered
together there. On every side were
the brutes, great and hungry. 1 stood
still till they formed u deep circle around
me Presently one sprang, but not at
me- He sprang at that which sat upon
my shoulders. l moved aside and he
missed his aim. Then / remembered
the words Of my dream, if dream il
were, how that the Dead One had given
me wisdom that / should be king of the
ghost wolves-I and another whom the
lion should bear to me. Was it not sOf
If it was not 50 how came IT that the
wolves did not devour Ine? For a no
meut l stood thinking then l lifted up
mySoice and howled like wolf, and 10
an the wolves hdwled in answer. 1
called to them. They ran to me as
though to devour me. But they did not;
they licked my legs with their red
tongues and pressed themselves against
me as does n cat. One, indeed. snatchel
at him who sat on my shoulder, but
struck him with the Watcher and he
skunk back. Moreover, the others bit
HIM so that he yelled. Now l knew
that l was king Of the ghost wolves, so I
walked on, and with me came all the
great pack. I walked on and they trot-
tel beside me till at length came u
the edge OF the forest.
Now l must not be seen thus Of men.
lest they think me a wizard and kill me
Therefore, at the edge of the forest J
halted and made signs to the wolves t.
20 back At this they howled as though
in grief, but l called to them that
would come again and be their king
Then they all went, till presently l WAS
alone. And now it Is time to sleep. To
morrow night l Will end my tale"
(CoSTHUED.l tim