Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-08-16
~ GRANT ALLMs


quarters. While that precious hour
o. taboo lasted, no wondering dragon
or spirit o. the air could hurt the holy
tree, and no human as-ailant dare
touch Or approach it. Even the dis
ease-making gods, who walk in the
pestilence, could not blight or Wither
it. At all other times Tu-kilahila
mounted guard over his tree with a
jealousy that fairly astonished Felix
Ihurstan'S soul: for Felix Thurstan
only dimly understood IS yet how i'm
plicitly Iu-kila-Kilas own life and
Office were bound up with the inviola-
bility OF the banyan he protected.
Within the hut, during that Elay
time of siesta, while the lizards who
are also gods ran up and Gown the
wall, and pulled their orange throats,
Tu-klia hila loanged at his ease that
afternoon, with one of his MANY wives
"a tall and beautiful Polynesian wo-
man, 1.-the and supple, as is the wont of
her race, and as exquisitly formed in
every limb and feature as sculptured
Greek goddess. A graceful wreath of
crimson hibiscus adorned her shape1y
head, round which her long and glossy
black hair was coiled in great rings
with artistic rrofusion. A festoon of
blue flowers and dark-red dracaena
leaves hung like a chaplet over her
olive-brown neck and swelling bust.
One breadth of native cloth did duty
for an apron or glrdle round her waist
or hips. All else was naked. Her
plump, brown arms we're set off by the
green and crimson OF the flowers that
decked her. Tu-kila-Kila glanced at
his slave with approving eyes. He al
ways liked Ula; she pleased him the
best Of all his women. And she knew
his ways, too; she never contradicted
him.
Among savaoes, guile is woman's
best protection. The wife who knows
when to give way with hypocritical
obedience, ana when to coax or
wheedle her yielding lord, runs the
best chance in the end for her life.
her model is not the oak, but the will
low. She must be able to watch for
rising signs of ill-humor in her mas
ter's mind, and guard against them
carefully. If she is wise she keeps out
OF her husbands way when his anger
is reused, but soOths and flatters him
to the top Of his bent when his temper
is just slightly or momentarily ruff1ed.
The Lord Of Heaven and Earth is
i'll at ease" Ula murmured, insinuat-
ingly, as Tu-Kila-Kila WINGED once
with the pain Of his swollen finger.
What has happened to-day to the In
creaser Of Bread-Fruit? My lord is
sad. His eye is downcast Who has
crossed my masters will? Who has
dared to anger him?'
Tu-Kila-kila kept the wounded hand
wrapped up in soft leaf, like woody
mullen. All the way home he had
been obliged to conceal it, and DISGUISE
the pain he felt, lest Fire and Water
should discover his secret. For he
dared not let his people know that the
Soul Of ali dead parrots had bitten his
finger, and drawn blood from the sacred
veins Of the man-god. But he almost
hesitated now whether Or not he should
contide in Ula A god may surely
such need to be careful-women are
so treacherous. He suspected Ula
sometimes OF being great deal to fond
OF that young man Toxic, who used to
be one o. the temple attendants, and
whom he had given as Shadow accord
ingly to the King of the Rain, so as to
get rid Of him altogether from among
the crowd of his followers. So he kept
his own counsel for the moment, and
disguised his misfortune. 81 have
been to see the King of the Birds this
morning." he said, in grumbling
voice, land do not like him. That
god is too insolent. For my part hate
these strangers, one AMI all. They
have no respect for Tu-Kila-Kila like
the men Of Boupari They are as bad
as atheists. They fear not the gods,
and the customs of our fathers are not
in them"
Ula crept near, with one 1.-the round
arm laid caressingly close to her
masters neck. "Then why do you
make them Korong?' she asked. with
feminine curiosity, like some wife who
seeks to worm out of her husband the
secret of freemasonry. 'Why 90 you
not cook them and eat them at once, as
soon as they arrive: They are very
good food-so white and fine. This
last newcomer, now-the Queen of the
Clouds why not eat her? She is
pump and tender"
II like her, 'Tu-Kila-Kila responded,
in a gloating tone. Il like her every
way. I would have brought her here
to my temple and admitted her at once
to be one of Tu-kila-kila' wives-only
that Fire and Water would not have
permitted me- They have too many
taboos, those awkward gods. do not
love them. But make my strangers
korongs for very wise reason. You
women are fools; YOU understand
nothing; YOU do not know the mys-
teries. These things are a great deal
too high and deep for you. You could
not comprehend them. But men
know well why They are wise: they
have been initiated Much more, then,
do I. who am the very high god-who
eat human flesh and drink blood like
water-who cause the sun to shine and
the fruits to grow-without whom the
day in heaven would fade and die out,
and the foundations Of the earth would
be shaken like pIantain leaf"
Ula laid her soft brown hand sooth-
ingly on the great gods arm just above
the elbow Tell me-" she said, lean
mo forward toward him, and looking