The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-16

The glowing days OF summer had gene
and autumn had come with its dreary
rains and brown fields. Out of doors all
was da<k and sad; but indoors brightness
and happiness were on every hand, for
Thanksgiving was near and Uncle Frank
was home. All the cousins, of course, had
come to Grandpa Drew's for their holi-
day; and so 1t happened that one evening
when I'll were gathered about the great
fire place the youngsters begged their
uncle for a story. Just then Danderlion,
at a window. saw a star fall; and after he
had explained his cry of surprise, Uncle
Frank began:
"A lolg. long time ago, an old man and
his grandson sat one evening by the door
OF theiF little hut near the river Rhine.
a soft red glow In the west showed where
the SUP slept. but elsewhere darkness set
tied over land and stream and sky. Here
and there stars spanked and were re-
fected in quivering CLEANS from the water.
AS the two sat there, quiet, in the stiffness
of the dusk. suddenly a fiery meteor shot
across the sky. leaving>a train of sparks
In it's wake.
What is that pretty fire, grandfather
asked the boy.
1T IS a long tale my son. answered
the old; man, and il will take us back to
the times when men were not yet on
earth The gods lived here then, as well
as in the sky. 1t was because Of the fool
ishnessi OF one OF them, and the rashness
OF his son. that these dreadful monsters
have visited the earth ever since. For
they asc dreadful. because they foretelI
death and famine But because you have
been al very good little boy to-day, and
have bhrded the swine well, shall tell
you tbs tale.
In those old days. the gods ruled over
and watched over everything on earth
and I'm the heavens. Without them rivers
would got have run, rains could not have
fallen, snor lightning and thunder have
been heard by the ears OF men. 1t was the
gods w1o commanded the sun to shine, and
the clouds to obscure II. OF all the lesser
gods the one who ruled the sun was the
greatest. for upon it's shining depended
the riFening of the grain and OF the
acornS upon which the swine fed. This
god was called Soma, and his task was
TO drive the suns chariot round the great
racecourse, n task which he did every day.
1t was no light labor to guide the blazing
chariot; that carried the sun, for the
horses were swift and strong, and very
hish-spsrited. No ordinary strength could
hold them; and il by any chance they
should leave the course over which they
had always run, who could tell what
~terribles things might occur? But such
n thing never happened TO Soma. He
loved HIS powerful steeds, but he governed
them we'll And so, for many years he had
made the eircling journey, day after day,
never swerving a hairs breadth from the
track.
Among all the gods, Soma had but
one endmy, and he was a willy one whose
name was Wolka. He was jealous OF
the gfeat sun-driver because of his
strength and because all the other lesser
gods admired him. And so, when he found
that nc could do nothing to harm Soma
HIMSELF he undertook to bring shame upon
him Though the sungod's son. a youth of
great beauty but little wit. One day, then,
Wolka called the young man, whose name
was Sterna. aside. and said to him:
'YOIs are no god as we are. Soma is
not thy. father. He found you on his trav-
els anG brought you here to dwell among
us; but you are not like US. being only a
youth whom Soma saved from the dark
place under the earth
"Then Sterna became very sad. for he
AONtu AsS AdlHcI. III OTONe the
glowing steeds home that night the youth
told him what Wolka had said. Thereupon
the sur god grew very angry. and cried
out:
HE lies who says you are not my son.
/ say you are; and whatever proof the liar
may demand he shall have. Ask what you
will OF me, you shall obtain It
Then Sterna went out into the yard of
his fathers palace to study what he should
ask for. AS he sat there thinking wolka
came TO him and said:
If you are really the son of your
father ought you not be able to drive the
chariot in which the blazing sun is carried?
You have youth and strength and are sure
ly as skillful with horses as Soma. Ask.
therefore. to drive the chariot tomorrow,
in order to prove thy father
"Sterna, foolish fellow, easily fell into
the tran OF the willy Wolka. He had long
secretly desired TO drive the fiery horses;
and when WoIka flattered him about his
strength and skill he determined to follow
his bad advice. So he went to the room
where his father sat eating and drinking
with the other lesser gods; and. going UP
to him, he demanded that he be allowed
to drive the chariot for the morrow. Soma.
who well knew the danger, and who saw
what Nolka meant to do. tried to persuade
his son to ask something else. But the
youth cried hotly:
NAY. you said / could have whatever ]
wished. Nothing else will satisfy me. i
call the gods TO witness
Then all who had heard the fathers
promise said that Sterna spoke truth. And
so the father said very sadly:
ouEsTIoNs AMI ANSWERS