Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/246

 238 Meanwhile, his father arrived at the forest, and opening the bag he saw the child there half-famished. So he said, "So it is you, little rascal, coming in the bag, is it, that made it so heavy? you little wretch. I'll leave you to die, you are so troublesome." So he threw him out. But the child said, "father, please give me a cooking-pot, and fire, and water, and rice, and a little fuel!" His father replied, "Why, can you tend a fire?" "Yes," said he, "for I can add fuel with my mouth until I die." So he gave him some. Then the child said again to his father, "Please leave me at the foot of yonder big tree, daddy, and light the fire a little." So he kindled it, and left the child there alone, while he, its father, went away home.

When the man got to his house he said to his wife, "Our child went with us in the bag and we have left him there." The woman replied, "You carried my son away to abandon him because you disliked him, for while he was quite little you wanted to smother him." So they quarrelled together.

As for the child who was left at the foot of the tree, he made the fire burn up, and presently the tree was in a blaze. So the smoke ascended, and there came a messenger from God and said, "Little round one, put out your fire, for you are choking God's children." "That's exactly what I meant to do," said the boy, "for he has acted unfairly to me in giving me neither arms or legs, and that's why I have made such a smoke." So God's messenger went away, and when he came to God he said, "He says you have acted unfairly to him, in giving him no arms or legs, and that's why he is making such a smoke to choke your children." Then said God, "Go ye, bone-setter, muscle-producer, blood-maker, and flesh-smith, prepare him arms and legs." So these workmen went away, made them, and completed their work. Then the messenger came to God and said, "Completed."

Still, however, the child made the fire smoke, so God's messenger came again and said, "Why do you still annoy God's children with your smoke, although he has given you hands and feet? Why do you still do this? "Ikòto replied, "He has not given me a beautiful wife, and that's why I still make a smoke." So God's messenger went away again and said, "You have not given him a beautiful wife, and that is why he makes a smoke." So he sent him a wife as he wished.

After the messenger had gone, Ikòto still kept up his fire. Down