the faith of men-第7章

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to　share。　　So　he　meditated　for　a　while　and　evolved　a　system　of

ecclesiastical　taxation。　　He　laid　tithes　upon　the　people；　harangued

about　fat　firstlings　and　such　things；　and　twisted　whatever　twisted

texts　he　had　ever　heard　to　serve　his　purpose。　　Even　this　I　bore　in

silence；　but　when　he　instituted　what　may　be　likened　to　a　graduated

income…tax；　I　rebelled；　and　blindly；　for　this　was　what　he　worked

for。　　Thereat；　he　appealed　to　the　people；　and　they；　envious　of　my

great　wealth　and　well　taxed　themselves；　upheld　him。　　'Why　should　we

pay；'　they　asked；　'and　not　you？　　Does　not　the　voice　of　God　speak

through　the　lips　of　Moosu；　the　shaman？'　　So　I　yielded。　　But　at　the

same　time　I　raised　the　price　of　hooch；　and　lo；　he　was　not　a　whit

behind　me　in　raising　my　taxes。



〃Then　there　was　open　war。　　I　made　a　play　for　Neewak　and　Tummasook；

because　of　the　traditionary　rights　they　possessed；　but　Moosu　won

out　by　creating　a　priesthood　and　giving　them　both　high　office。　　The

problem　of　authority　presented　itself　to　him；　and　he　worked　it　out

as　it　has　often　been　worked　before。　　There　was　my　mistake。　　I

should　have　been　made　shaman；　and　he　chief；　but　I　saw　it　too　late；

and　in　the　clash　of　spiritual　and　temporal　power　I　was　bound　to　be

worsted。　　A　great　controversy　waged；　but　it　quickly　became　one…

sided。　　The　people　remembered　that　he　had　anointed　me；　and　it　was

clear　to　them　that　the　source　of　my　authority　lay；　not　in　me；　but

in　Moosu。　　Only　a　few　faithful　ones　clung　to　me；　chief　among　whom

Angeit　was；　while　he　headed　the　popular　party　and　set　whispers

afloat　that　I　had　it　in　mind　to　overthrow　him　and　set　up　my　own

gods；　which　were　most　unrighteous　gods。　　And　in　this　the　clever

rascal　had　anticipated　me；　for　it　was　just　what　I　had　intended

forsake　my　kingship；　you　see；　and　fight　spiritual　with　spiritual。

So　he　frightened　the　people　with　the　iniquities　of　my　peculiar

godsespecially　the　one　he　named　'Biz…e…Nass'and　nipped　the

scheme　in　the　bud。



〃Now；　it　happened　that　Kluktu；　youngest　daughter　to　Tummasook；　had

caught　my　fancy；　and　I　likewise　hers。　　So　I　made　overtures；　but　the

ex…chief　refused　bluntlyafter　I　had　paid　the　purchase　priceand

informed　me　that　she　was　set　aside　for　Moosu。　　This　was　too　much；

and　I　was　half　of　a　mind　to　go　to　his　igloo　and　slay　him　with　my

naked　hands；　but　I　recollected　that　the　tobacco　was　near　gone；　and

went　home　laughing。　　The　next　day　he　made　incantation；　and

distorted　the　miracle　of　the　loaves　and　fishes　till　it　became

prophecy；　and　I；　reading　between　the　lines；　saw　that　it　was　aimed

at　the　wealth　of　meat　stored　in　my　caches。　　The　people　also　read

between　the　lines；　and；　as　he　did　not　urge　them　to　go　on　the　hunt；

they　remained　at　home；　and　few　caribou　or　bear　were　brought　in。



〃But　I　had　plans　of　my　own；　seeing　that　not　only　the　tobacco　but

the　flour　and　molasses　were　near　gone。　　And　further；　I　felt　it　my

duty　to　prove　the　white　man's　wisdom　and　bring　sore　distress　to

Moosu；　who　had　waxed　high…stomached；　what　of　the　power　I　had　given

him。　　So　that　night　I　went　to　my　meat　caches　and　toiled　mightily；

and　it　was　noted　next　day　that　all　the　dogs　of　the　village　were

lazy。　　No　one　suspected；　and　I　toiled　thus　every　night；　and　the

dogs　grew　fat　and　fatter；　and　the　people　lean　and　leaner。　　They

grumbled　and　demanded　the　fulfilment　of　prophecy；　but　Moosu

restrained　them；　waiting　for　their　hunger　to　grow　yet　greater。　　Nor

did　he　dream；　to　the　very　last；　of　the　trick　I　had　been　playing　on

the　empty　caches。



〃When　all　was　ready；　I　sent　Angeit；　and　the　faithful　ones　whom　I

had　fed　privily；　through　the　village　to　call　assembly。　　And　the

tribe　gathered　on　a　great　space　of　beaten　snow　before　my　door；　with

the　meat　caches　towering　stilt…legged　in　the　rear。　　Moosu　came

also；　standing　on　the　inner　edge　of　the　circle　opposite　me；

confident　that　I　had　some　scheme　afoot；　and　prepared　at　the　first

break　to　down　me。　　But　I　arose；　giving　him　salutation　before　all

men。



〃'O　Moosu；　thou　blessed　of　God；'　I　began；　'doubtless　thou　hast

wondered　in　that　I　have　called　this　convocation　together；　and

doubtless；　because　of　my　many　foolishnesses；　art　thou　prepared　for

rash　sayings　and　rash　doings。　　Not　so。　　It　has　been　said；　that

those　the　gods　would　destroy　they　first　make　mad。　　And　I　have　been

indeed　mad。　　I　have　crossed　thy　will；　and　scoffed　at　thy　authority；

and　done　divers　evil　and　wanton　things。　　Wherefore；　last　night　a

vision　was　vouchsafed　me；　and　I　have　seen　the　wickedness　of　my

ways。　　And　thou　stoodst　forth　like　a　shining　star；　with　brows

aflame；　and　I　knew　in　mine　own　heart　thy　greatness。　　I　saw　all

things　clearly。　　I　knew　that　thou　didst　command　the　ear　of　God；　and

that　when　you　spoke　he　listened。　　And　I　remembered　that　whatever　of

the　good　deeds　that　I　had　done；　I　had　done　through　the　grace　of

God；　and　the　grace　of　Moosu。



〃'Yes；　my　children；'　I　cried；　turning　to　the　people；　'whatever

right　I　have　done；　and　whatever　good　I　have　done；　have　been　because

of　the　counsel　of　Moosu。　　When　I　listened　to　him；　affairs

prospered；　when　I　closed　my　ears；　and　acted　according　to　my　folly；

things　came　to　folly。　　By　his　advice　it　was　that　I　laid　my　store　of

meat；　and　in　time　of　darkness　fed　the　famishing。　　By　his　grace　it

was　that　I　was　made　chief。　　And　what　have　I　done　with　my　chiefship？

Let　me　tell　you。　　I　have　done　nothing。　　My　head　was　turned　with

power；　and　I　deemed　myself　greater　than　Moosu；　and；　behold　I　have

come　to　grief。　　My　rule　has　been　unwise；　and　the　gods　are　angered。

Lo；　ye　are　pinched　with　famine；　and　the　mothers　are　dry…breasted；

and　the　little　babies　cry　through　the　long　nights。　　Nor　do　I；　who

have　hardened　my　heart　against　Moosu；　know　what　shall　be　done；　nor

in　what　manner　of　way　grub　shall　be　had。'



〃At　this　there　was　nodding　and　laughing；　and　the　people　put　their

heads　together；　and　I　knew　they　whispered　of　the　loaves　and　fishes。

I　went　on　hastily。　　'So　I　was　made　aware　of　my　foolishness　and　of

Moosu's　wisdom；　of　my　own　unfitness　and　of　Moosu's　fitness。　　And

because　of　this；　being　no　longer　mad；　I　make　acknowledgment　and

rectify　evil。　　I　did　cast　unrighteous　eyes　upon　Kluktu；　and　lo；　she

was　sealed　to　Moosu。　　Yet　is　she　mine；　for　did　I　not　pay　to

Tummasook　the　goods　of　purchase？　　But　I　am　well　unworthy　of　her；

and　she　shall　go　from　the　igloo　of　her　father　to　the　igloo　of

Moosu。　　Can　the　moon　shine　in　the　sunshine？　　And　further；　Tummasook

shall　keep　the　goods　of　purchase；　and　she　be　a　free　gift　to　Moosu；

whom　God　hath　ordained　her　rightful　lord。



〃'And　further　yet；　because　I　have　used　my　wealth　unwisely；　and　to

oppress　ye；　O　my　children；　do　I　make　gifts　of　the　kerosene　can　to

Moosu；　and　the　gooseneck；　and　the　gun…barrel；　and　the　copper

kettle。　　Therefore；　I　can　gather　to　me　no　more　possessions；　and

when　ye　are　athirst　for　hooch；　he　will　quench　ye　and　without

robbery。　　For　he　is　a　great　man；　and　God　speaketh　through　his　lips。



〃'And　yet　further；　my　heart　is　softened；　and　I　have　repented　me　of

my　madness。　　I；　who　am　a　fool　and　a　son　of　fools；　I；　who　am　the

slave　of　the　bad　god　Biz…e…Nass；　I；　who　see　thy　empty　bellies　and

knew　not　wherewith　to　fill　themwhy　shall　I　be　chief；　and　sit

above　thee；　and　rule　to　thine　own　destruction？　　Why　should　I　do

this；　which　is　not　good？　　But　Moosu；　who　is　shaman；　and　who　is　wise

above　men；　is　so　made　that　he　can　rule　with　a　soft　hand　and　justly。

And　because　of　the　things　I　have　related　do　I　make　abdication　and

give　my　chiefship　to　Moosu；　who　alone　knoweth　how　ye　may　be　fed　in

this　day　when　there　be　no　meat　in　the　land。'



〃At　this　there　was　a　great　clapping　of　hands；　and　the　people　cried；

'KLOSHE！　　KLOSHE！'　which　means　'good。'　　I　had　seen　the　wonder…worry

in　Moosu's　eyes；　for　he　could　not　understand；　and　was　fearful　of　my

white　man's　wisdom。　　I　had　met　his　wishes　all　along　the　line；　and

even　anticipated　some；　and　standing　there；　self…shorn　of　all　my

power；　he　knew　the　time　did　not　favour　to　stir　the　people　against

me。