495 – The Gods of Pegana, Part 1

Hey, so if you're listening to Sleepy, I know that you love podcasts that help you go to bed and get a great night's rest. Well, if you're looking for even more snoozy content, I highly encourage you to check out the podcast, Nothing Much Happens, by a sleep co-conspirator of mine named Catherine Nikolai. She shares these original, mindfully crafted, conflict-free literature designed to lull you into a restful slumber. for over six years katherine has been helping listeners find peace and rest through her soothing stories the show has over 150 million downloads and it basically is a grown-up version of mr roger's neighborhood filled with interconnected stories that soothe and calm you it is a fantastic show and she puts so much work into making stories that are specifically crafted to put you to bed so definitely go check out her show nothing much happens you can find nothing much happens anywhere where you get your podcasts. Sweet dreams. Hey, my name's Otis Gray and you're listening to Sleeping. A podcast where I read old books to help you get to sleep. So, um, happy February. Uh, it's uh we're almost at 500 episodes with sleepy which is pretty unbelievable and um i thought that i'd uh i'd kind of begin a epic bedtime story run for the next few episodes um so i'm going to be reading uh this pretty amazing um i guess you might call it a novella collection of stories over the next three episodes because it is this kind of entire world that gets created and it's really mythical, it's about all these gods and it is truly I think perfect to get lost in over a week's time especially if you like getting lost in a truly well thought out fantastical world. You're going to like this a lot. So before we begin part one of this bedtime story, I would just like to thank all of our brand new patrons on patreon.com, which is a site, an app where you can pledge a couple bucks for an ad free version of sleepy. So this week's amazing new patrons. Thank you all so, so much for being a part of making this show. It really, really means a lot. So thank you. And for anyone who doesn't know, these names that I just read are brand new supporters of Sleepy on Patreon, which is a website where you can just directly support people who make the stuff that you like. so if you like Sleepy maybe it's helped you get a better night's rest then you can be directly a part of making it like these folks by going to patreon.com slash sleepy radio and there are cool perks in exchange for donating like I said at $2 you get an ad free version of Sleepy $5 gets you access to our poetry feed all kinds of episodes you've never heard before. But even a dollar means so much to me. Just one dollar. And no matter how much you give, even a dollar, I'll read your name in the opening credits of our next Sunday show. How do you do? So, again, if you would like to be a part of making this show, like these folks, then you can go to patreon.com slash sleepy radio. Thank you. And as always, the music you're hearing is by my good friend James Lepkowski and the cover art for Sleepy is by Gracie Canan. So, as I said, tonight, this is a story that I've been wanting to read for some time. Um, and, um, it hasn't really fit in the category of novel or short story, which is what we usually read on the show. It's kind of in the middle in that it's a, uh, it's a novella. It's kind of a collection of short stories. so I figure because we have 500 episodes coming up we'll do a three-parter on the show which I don't think we've ever done but this collection this novella really really deserves it it's fantastic to read I'm fascinated by you know the whole Greek gods, polytheism if you've been listening to the show for a while you probably know that I've read a lot of Greek myths on the show Nathaniel Hawthorne's versions of them are incredible but this is similarly a world of gods created completely by Lord Dunsene and it is called the Gods of Bagania it might be Pagana but I just like saying Pagana and this is a fascinating piece of writing that is it just kind of looks at all these gods in a very microscopic way and explains the creation of the world so it's a creation story but it's kind of about all these cheeky, clever personalities. These gods. The beginning of time. And it's a beautiful sprawling world that gets created. Which I think is really fantastic for a bedtime story. And I'll be telling that story in full over the following two episodes as well. So tonight we will be starting it. so I hope you're staying warm and you're getting good sleep and without further ado this is part one of the Gods of Pagania by Lord Dunsene and now is the time for you to fluff up your pillow just how you like it feel yourself melt into your bed get real comfortable close your eyes And let me read to you. The Gods of Pagania Introduction Before there stood gods upon Olympus, or ever Allah was Allah, had wrought and rested Manayud Sushai. There are in Paganumung and Sish and Kim and the maker of all small gods who is Manayud Sushai. Moreover, we have a faith in Rune and Slid. It has been said of old that all things that have been were wrought by the small gods. excepting only Manayutsu Shai, who made the gods, and hath thereafter rest in. And none may pray to Manayutsu Shai, but only the gods whom he hath made. But at last will Manayutsu Shai forget to rest, and will make again new gods and other worlds, and will destroy the gods whom he hath made. And the gods and the world shall depart, and there shall be only Manayut Sushai. Of Skarl the Drummer When Manayut Sushai had made the gods and Skarl, Skarl made a drum and began to beat upon it that he might drum forever. Then because he was weary after the making of the gods and because of the drumming of Skarl did Mana Yutsushai grow drowsy and fall asleep. And there fell a hush upon the gods when they saw that Mana rested and there was silence on Pagania save for the drumming of Skarl. Skarl sitteth upon the mist before the feet of Manayutsasai above the gods of Pagania and there he beateth his drum. Some say that the worlds and suns are but the echoes of the drumming of Skarl and others say that they be dreams that arise in the mind of Mana because of the drumming of Skarl as one may dream whose rest is troubled by the sound of song but none know it for who hath heard the voice of Mana Yutsashai or who hath seen his drummer whether the season be winter or whether it be summer whether it be morning among the worlds or whether it be night Skarl still beateth his drum for the purposes of the gods are not yet fulfilled sometimes the arm of Skarl grows weary but still he beateth his drum that the gods may do the work of the gods and the worlds go on for if he cease for an instant then Manayutsu Shai will start awake and there will be worlds nor gods no more. But when at the last the arm of Skarl shall cease to be his drum silence shall startle Pagania like thunder in a cave and Manayutsu Shai shall cease to rest. Then shall Skarl put his drum upon his back And walk forth into the void beyond the worlds Because it is the end And the work of Skarl is over There may arise some other god whom Skarl may serve Or it may be that he shall perish But to Skarl it shall matter not for he shall have done the work of Skarl. Of the Making of the Worlds When Mani Yutsashai had made the gods, there were only the gods, and they sat in the middle of time, but there was as much time before them as behind them. which having no end had neither a beginning. And Pagania was without heat or light or sound, save for the drumming of Scarl. Moreover, Pagania was the middle of all, for there was below Pagania what there was above it, and there lay before it that which lay beyond. Then said the gods, making the signs of the gods and speaking with their hands, lest the silence of Bagania should blush. Then said the gods to one another, speaking with their hands, Let us make worlds to amuse ourselves, while mana rests. Let us make worlds, and life, and death, and colors in the sky. Only let us not break the silence upon Bagania. Then raising their hands, each god according to his sign, they made the worlds and the suns and put a light in the houses of the sky. Then said the gods, let us make one to seek, to seek and never to find out concerning the wherefore of the making of the gods. And they made by the lifting of their hands, each God according to his sign, the bright one, with the flaring tail to seek from the end of the worlds to the end of them again, to return again after a hundred years. Man when thou seest the comet know that another seeketh beside thee nor ever findeth thou Then said the gods, still speaking with their hands, Let there be now a watcher to regard. and they made the moon with his face wrinkled with many mountains and worn with a thousand valleys to regard with pale eyes the games of the small gods and to watch throughout the resting time of Maniud-Sushai to watch to regard all things to be silent then said the gods let us make one to rest one not to move among the moving one not to seek like the comet nor to go around like the world to rest while mana rests and they made the star of the abiding and set it in the north man when thou seest the star of the abiding to the north. Know that one resteth as doth Manayud Sashai. And know that somewhere among the worlds is rest. Lastly, the gods said, we have made worlds and sons, and one to seek and another to regard. Let us now make one to wonder. And they made earth to wonder, each god by the uplifting of his hand according to his sign. And earth was. Of the Game of the Gods A million years passed over the first game of the gods, and Mani Yuzashai still rest in, still in the middle of time, and the gods still played with the worlds. The moon regarded, and the bright ones saw, and returned again to his seeking. Then Cib grew weary of the first game of the gods and raised his hand in Pagania, making the sign of Cib, and earth became covered, with beasts for Cib to play with. And Cib played with beasts. But the other gods said one to another, speaking with their hands, What is it that Cib has done? And they said to Cib, What are these things that move upon the earth, yet move not in circles like the worlds, that regard like the moon, and yet they do not shine. And Cib said, This is life. But the gods said to one another, If Cib has thus made beasts, he will in time make men, and will endanger the secret of the gods. And Mung was jealous of the work of Cib, and sent down death among the beasts. but could not stamp them out. The million years passed over the second game of the gods, and still, it was the middle of time. And Cib grew weary of the second game, and raised his hand in the middle of all, making the sign of Cib, and made men. Out of beasts, he made them, and earth was covered with men. Then the gods feared greatly for the secret of the gods, and set a veil between man and his ignorance that he might not understand. And Mung was busy among men. But when the other gods saw Cib playing his new game, they came and played it too. and this they will play until mana arises to rebuke them saying what to ye playing with worlds and sons and men and life and death and they shall be ashamed of their playing in the hour of the laughter of mani yud sushai it was kib who first broke the silence of bagania by speaking with his mouth like a man. And all the other gods were angry with Kib that he had spoken with his mouth. And there was no longer silence in Pagania or the worlds. The Chant of the Gods There came the voice of the gods, singing the chaunt of the gods singing we are the gods we are the little games of Manayutsu Shai that he hath played and hath forgotten Manayutsu Shai hath made us and we made the worlds and the suns and we play with the worlds and the sun and life and death until mana arises to rebuke us, saying, What do ye playing with worlds and suns? It is a very serious thing that there be worlds and suns, and yet most withering is the laughter of mana yu tsa shai. And when he arises from resting at the last and laughs at us for playing with worlds and suns. We will hastily put them behind us and there shall be worlds no more. The Sayings of Kim Sender of Life in All the Worlds Kib said, I am Kim. I am none other than Kib. Kib is Kib. Kib is he and no other. Believe. Kib said, when time was early, when time was very early indeed, there was only Manayutsu Shai. Manayutsu Shai was before the beginning of the gods and shall be after their going. And Cib said, After the going of the gods, there will be no small world, nor big. Cib said, It will be lonely for Maniute to shy. Because this is written, believe. For is it not written, or are you greater than Cib? Cib is Cib. Concerning Sish, the Destroyer of Hours Time is the hound of Sish, as Sish is bidding to the hours run before him as he goeth upon his way. Never hath Sish stepped backward, nor ever hath he tarried. Never hath he relented to the things that once he knew, nor turned to them again. Before Sish is Kib, and behind him goeth Mung. Very pleasant are all things before the face of Sish, but behind him they are withered and old. And Sish goeth ceaselessly upon his way. once the gods walked upon earth as men walk and spake with their mouths like men that was in the Wernath-Mavai they walk not now and Wernath-Mavai was a garden fairer than all the gardens upon earth Cib was proprietous And Mung raised not his hand against it Neither did Sish assail it with his hours Warnath Mavai lieth in a valley And looketh toward the south And on the slopes of it Sish rested among the flowers When Sish was young Thence Sish went forth into the world to destroy its cities And to provoke his hours to assail all things And to batter against them with the rust and with the dust And time, which is the hound of Sish, devoured all things and Sish sent up the ivy and fostered weeds and dust fell from the hand of Sish and covered stately things only the valley where Sish rested when he and time were young did Sish not provoke his hours to assail there he restrained his old hound time and at its borders Mung withheld his footsteps Warnath Mabai still lieth looking towards the south A garden among gardens And still the flowers grow about its slopes As they grew when the gods were young And even the butterflies live in Warnath Mabai still For the minds of the gods relent towards their earliest memories who relent, not otherwise at all. Warnath Mavai still lieth looking towards the south, but if thou shouldest ever find it, thou art then more fortunate than the Goths, because they walk not in Warnath Mavai now. Once did the prophet think that he discerned it in the distance beyond mountains, a garden exceeding fair with flowers. But Sish arose, and pointed with his hand, and set his hound to pursue him, who hath followed ever since. Time is the hound of the gods, but it hath been said of old, that he will one day turn upon his masters, and seek to slay the gods, excepting only Mani Yud-Sishai, whose dreams are the gods themselves, dreamed long ago. The Sayings of Slid, whose soul is by the sea. Slid said, Let no man pray, to Manayutsu Shai. For who shall trouble Manayutsu Shai with mortal woes or irk him with the sorrows of all the houses of earth? Nor let any sacrifice to Manayutsu Shai. For what glory shall he find in sacrifices or altars who hath made the gods themselves? Pray to the small gods who are the gods of doing. Bumana is the god of having done, the god of having done, and of the resting. Pray to the small gods in hope that they may hear thee. Yet what mercy should the small gods have who themselves made death and pain? Or shall they restrain their old hound time for thee? Slid is but a small god, yet slid is slid. It is written, and hath been said. Pray thou therefore to slid, and forget not slid. And it may be that slid will not forget to send thee death, when most thou needest them. And the people of earth said, There is a melody upon the earth as though ten thousand streams all sang together for their homes that they had forsaken in the hills. And Slid said, I am the lord of gliding waters and of foaming waters and of still. I am the lord of all the waters in the world, and all that long streams garner in the hills. But the soul of Slid is in the sea. Thither goes all that glides upon earth, and the end of all the rivers is the sea. Then Slid said the hand of Slid hath toyed with cataracts and down the valleys have trod the feet of Slid and out of the lakes of the plains regard the eyes of slid but the soul of slid is in the sea. Much homage hath slid among the cities of men, and pleasant are the woodland paths and the paths of the plains, and pleasant the high valleys where he danceth in the hills. But Slid would be fettered neither by banks nor boundaries, so the soul of Slid is in the sea. For there may Slid repose beneath the sun and smile at the gods above him with all the smiles of Slid and be a happier god than those who sway the world, whose work is life and death. There may he sit and smile, or creep among the ships, or moan and sigh round islands in his great content. The miser lord of wealth and gems and pearls beyond the telling of all fables. Or there may he, when Slid would fain exult, throw up his great arms, or toss with many a fathom of wandering hair the mighty head of Slid, and cry aloud tumultuous dirges of shipwreck, and feel through all his being the crashing might of Slid, and sway the sea. Then doth the sea, like venturous legions On the eve of war, that exult to exclaim their chief Gather its force together from under all the winds And roar and follow the sing and crash together to vanquish all things And all that bidding of slid, whose soul is in the sea There is ease in the soul of Slin, and there be calms upon the sea. Also, there be storms upon the sea, and troubles in the soul of Slin. For the gods have many moods, and Slin is in many places, for he sitteth in high Pagania. Also along the valleys walketh slid, wherever water moveth or lieth still. But the voice and the cry of slid are from the sea. And to whoever that cry hath ever come, he must needs follow, then follow, leaving all stable things, only to be always with slid in all moods of slid, to find no rest until he reaches the sea. With the cry of Slid before them and the hills of their home behind have gone a hundred thousand to the sea over whose bones doth Slid lament with the voice of a god lamenting for his people. Even the streams from the inner lands have heard Slid's far-off cry and altogether have forsaken lawns and trees to follow where Slid is gathering up his own to rejoice where Slid rejoices singing the Chanto Slid even as will the last gather all the lives of the people about the feet of Manayutsu Shai. The Deeds of Mung Lord of all deaths between Pagania and the Rim Once, as Mung went his way, Athwar, the earth and up and down its cities and across its plains, Mung came upon a man who was afraid, when Mung said, I am Mung. And Mung said, Were the forty million years before thy coming intolerable to thee. And Mung said, Not less tolerable to thee shall be the forty million years to come. Then Mung made against him the sign of Mung and the life of the man was fettered no longer with hands and feet. At the end of the flight of the arrow, there is Mung, and in the houses and the cities of men. Mung walketh in all places at all times, but mostly he loves to walk in the dark and still along the river mists when the wind hath sank a little before night meeteth with the morning upon the highway between Pagania and the worlds. Sometimes Mung entereth the poor man's cottage. Mung also boweth very low before the king. Then do the lives of the poor man and of the king go forth among the worlds. And Mung said, Many turnings hath the road that Cib hath given every man to tread upon the earth. Behind one of these turnings sitteth Mung. One day, as a man trod upon the road that Cib had given him to tread, he came suddenly upon Mung. And what Mung said, I am Mung. The man cried out, Alas, that I took this road, for had I gone by any other way, then had I not met with Mung. And Mung said, Had it been possible for thee to go by any other way, then had the scheme of things been otherwise, and the gods had been other gods. When Mani Yutsashai forgets to rest and makes again new gods, it may be that they will send thee again into the world, and then thou mayest choose some other way and not meet with Mung. Then Mung made the sign of Mung, and the life of that man went forth with yesterday's regrets, and all old sorrows and forgotten things, whither Mung knew it. And Mung went onward, with his work to sunder life from flesh. And Mung came upon a man, who became stricken with sorrow, when he saw the shadow of Mung. But Mung said, When at the sign of Mung, thy life shall float away, there will also disappear thy sorrow at forsaking him. But the man cried out O Mung, tarry for a little and make not the sign of Mung against me now for I have a family upon the earth with whom sorrow will remain though mine should disappear because of the sign of Mung. And Mung said with the gods it is always now and before Sish hath banished many of the years the sorrows of thy family for thee shall go the way of thine and the man beheld Mung making the sign of Mung before his eyes which beheld things no more The Chaunt of the Priests This is the chaunt of the priests. The Chaunt of the Priests of Hmong. This is the chaunt of the priests. All day long to Hmong cry out the priests of Hmong, and yet Hmong hearkeneth not. What then shall avail the prayers? Of all the people. Rather bring gifts to the priests. Gifts to the priests of Hmong. So shall they cry louder. Unto Hmong. Than ever. Was their want. And it may be that Hmong shall hear. Not any longer. And shall fall the shadow of Hmong. Hathward the hopes of the people. not any longer then shall the tread of Hmong darken the dreams of the people not any longer shall the lives of the people be loosened because of Hmong bring ye gifts to the priests gifts to the priests of Hmong this is the chaunt of the priests the chaunt of the priests of Hmong this is the chaunt of the priests. The sayings of Limpang Tong the god of mirth and of melodious minstrels. And Limpang Tong said the ways of the gods are strange the flower groweth up and the flower fadeth away this may be very clever of the gods man groweth from his infancy and in a while he die this may be very clever too but the gods play with a strange scheme I will send jests into the world and a little mirth And while death seems to thee As far away as the purple rim of hills Or sorrow as far off as rain In the blue days of summer Then pray to Limpang Tongue But when thou growest old Or ere thou diest Pray not of Limpang Tongue For thou becometh part of a scheme That he doth not understand Go out into the starry night, and Limpang Tong will dance with thee, who danced since the gods were young, the god of mirth and of melodious minstrels. Or offer up a jest to Limpang Tong, only pray not in thy sorrow to Limpang Tong, for he saith of sorrow, he may be very clever of the gods but he doth not understand and Lim Pang Tong said I am lesser than the gods pray therefore to the small gods and not to Lim Pang Tong Nevertheless, between Pagania and the earth flutter ten thousand thousand prayers That beat their wings against the face of death And never for one of them hath the hand of the striker been stayed Nor yet hath tarried the feet of the relentless one Utter thy prayer And may accomplish Where failed ten thousand thousand Limping Tong Is lesser than the gods And doth not understand And Limping Tong said Less men grow weary down On the great worlds Through gazing always At a changeless sky I will paint my pictures in the sky And I will paint them twice in every day For so long as days shall be Once as the day arises out of the homes of dawn I will paint the blue That men may see and rejoice And ere day falleth under into the night Will I paint upon the blue again lest men be sad. It is a little, said Lim Pang Tong, it is a little, even for a god, to give some pleasure to men upon the worlds. And Lim Pang Tong hath sworn that the pictures that he paints shall never be the same for so long as the days shall be. And this he hath sworn by the oath of the gods of Pagania, that the gods may never break, laying his hand upon the shoulder of each of the gods and swearing by the light behind their eyes. Lempangtong hath lured a melody out of the stream and stolen its anthem from the forest For him the wind hath cried in lonely places and the ocean sung its dirges. There is music for limping tongue in the sounds of the moving of grass, and in the voices of the people that lament, or in the cry of them that rejoice. In an inner mountain, land, where none hath come, he hath carved his organ pipes out of the mountains. And there, when the winds, his servants, come in from all around the world, he maketh the melody of Limping Tong. But the song, arising at night, goeth forth like a river, winding through all the world, and here and there, amid the peoples of earth, one hear it, and straight away, all that hath voice to sing, crieth aloud in music to his soul. Or sometimes, walking through the dusk, with steps unheard by men, in a form unseen by the people, limb hang tongue goeth abroad, and standing behind the minstrels in cities of song waveth his hands above them to and fro and the minstrels bend to their work and the voice of the music ariseth and mirth and melody abound in that city of song and no one seeth limping tongue as he standeth behind the minstrels But through the mists Towards morning In the dark When the minstrels sleep And mirth and melody have sunk to rest Lim Pang Tong Goeth back again To his mountain land Of Yhorneth Lai The god of little dreams and fancies. Yet Harneth Lai is the god of little dreams and fancies. All night he sendeth little dreams out of Pagania to please the people of earth. He sendeth little dreams to the poor man and to the king. He is so busy to send his dreams to all before the night be ended that oft he forgetteth which be the poor man and which be the king. To whom Yaharnath-Lahai cometh not with little dreams and sleep, he must endure all night the laughter of the gods with the highest mockery in Pagania. All night long Yaharnath-Lahai giveth peace to cities until the dawn hour. and the departing of Yaharnith Lahai, when it is time for the gods to play with men again. Whether the dreams and the fancies of Yaharnith Lahai be false, and the things that are done in the day be real, or the things that are done in the day be false, and the dreams and the fancies of Yaharnith Lahai be true, None knoweth, saving only Manayutsashai, who hath not spoken. Of Rune, the god of going, and the thousand home gods. Rune said, There be gods of moving, and gods of standing still. but I am the god of going. It is because of Rune that the worlds are never still for the moons and the worlds and the comet are stirred by the spirit of Rune which saith Go, go, go. Rune met the worlds all in the morning of things before there was light upon Baganja. And Rune dance before them in the void, Since when they are never still, Rune sendeth all streams to the sea, And all the rivers to the soul of Slid. Rune maketh the sign of Rune, Before the waters, and lo, They have left the hills. And Rune hath spoken in the ear of the north wind, That he may be still no more. The footfall of Rune hath been heard at evening outside the houses of men, and thenceforth comfort and abiding know them no more. Before them stretcheth travel over all lands, long miles, and never resting between their homes and their graves, and all at the bidding of Rune. The mountains have set no limit against Rune, nor all the seas a boundary. With a Rune hath desired, there must be Rune's people go, and the worlds in their streams and the winds. I heard the whisper of Rune at evening, saying, there are islands of spices to the south and the voice of Rune saying go and Rune said there are a thousand home gods and little gods that sit before the hearth and mind the fire there is one Rune Rune saith in a whisper in a whisper when none heareth, when the sun is low. What doeth Manayutsu Shai? Rune is no god that thou mayest worship by thy earth, nor will he be benignant to thy home. Offer to Rune thy toiling and thy speed, whose incense is the smoke of the campfire to the south, whose song is the sound of going, whose temples stand beyond the farthest hills and his lands behind the east. Yara nareth, Yara nareth, Yara nareth, which signifieth beyond. These words be carved in letters of gold upon the arch of the great portal of the temple of Rune that men have built it, looking towards the east upon the sea. where Rune is carved as a giant trumpeter, with his trumpet pointing towards the east beyond the seas. Whoso heareth his voice, the voice of Rune, at evening, he at once forsaketh the home gods that sit beside the hearth. These be the gods of the hearth. Pitsu, who stroketh the cat Hoboth, who calms the dog And Hibania, the lord of glowing embers And little Zumbibu, the lord of dust And old Gribon, who sits in the heart of the fire to turn the wood to ash All these be home gods, and live not in Pagania and be lesser than Rune. There is also Kelulugan, the lord of arising smoke, who taketh the smoke from the hearth and sendeth it to the sky, who is pleased if it reacheth Pagania, so that the gods of Pagania, speaking to the gods, say, There is Kelulugan doing the work on earth of Kelulugan. All these are gods so small that they be lesser than men but pleasant gods to have beside the hearth and often men have prayed to Kalulugang saying Thou whose smoke ascendeth to Pagania send up with it our prayers that the gods may hear and Kalulagong who is pleased that men should pray stretches himself up all gray and lean with his arms above his head and sendeth his servant the smoke to seek Pagania that the gods of Pagania may know that the people pray and Jabim is the lord of broken things who sitteth behind the house to lament the things that are cast away. And there he sitteth, lamenting the broken things until the worlds be ended, or until someone cometh to mend the broken things. Or sometimes he sitteth by the river's edge to lament the forgotten things that drift upon him. A kindly god is Jibim, whose heart is sore if anything be lost. There is also Trebugi, the lord of dusk, whose children are the shadows, who sitteth in a corner far off from Abania, and speaketh to none. But after Abania hath gone to sleep And old Gribbon hath blinked a hundred times Until he forgetteth which be wood or ash Then doth Trebugi send his children To run about the room and dance upon the walls But never disturb the silence But when there is light again upon the worlds and dawn comes dancing down the highway from Pagania. Then does Chabugi retire into his corner with his children all around him as though they had never danced about the room. And the servants of Hibania and the old Griban come and awake them from their sleep upon the hearth and Pitsu strokes the cat and Hoboth calms the dog and Kalulagung stretches aloft his arms towards Bagania and Trebugi is very still and his children asleep. And when it is dark, all in the hour of Trebugi, Hish creepeth from the forest, the lord of silence whose children are the bats that have broken the command of their father. but in a voice that is ever so low. Hish husheth the mouse and all the whispers in the night. He maketh all noises still. Only the cricket rebelleth. But Hish hath set against him such a spell that after he hath cried a thousand times his voice may be heard no more but becometh part of the silence. And when he hath slain all sounds, Hish boweth low to the ground, then cometh into the house, with never a sound of feet, the god yorneth lie. But away in the forest, when to Hish hath come Wahoon, the lord of noises in the night, awaketh in his lair, and creepeth round the forest to see. whether it be true that Hish hath gone. Then in some glade, Wuhun lifts up his voice, and cries aloud, that all the night may hear, that it is he, Wuhun, who is abroad, in all the forest. And the wolf, and the fox, and the owl, and the great beasts, and the small, lift up their voices, to acclaim wound. And there arise the sounds of voices and the stirring of leaves. Thank you for listening to Sleepy. Good night. Thank you. Thank you.