Page:Papuan Fairy Tales.djvu/179

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THE MUD PEOPLE
137

earth. Then he went back to his house and sat therein, and waited to see if Apogi would hear his prayer or no.

Not long had he to tarry, for the sun was yet high in the heaven when the rain clouds hid it from the eyes of men, and heavy was the rain which fell, and the man's heart was glad, for he knew that Apogi had done this.

Now it had been but an idle vaunt of the man who dwelt in the house of mud that he feared no rain, for indeed his heart trembled within him as great drops fell and his walls began to crumble. Nevertheless he sat on and did not stir until his wife besought him to seek some place of shelter for their little ones, who were wailing at their mother's knees. Then he rose up, and taking his family with him he left the house, and it was now but a frame of sticks, for the mud lay upon the ground in a pool of water. And the children cried aloud as they followed after their father, who led them to the house which was built of rei.

Now it came to pass that the man who had built his house of rei looked forth and saw them as they drew nigh in the rain. And he hardened his heart, and closed the doorway of his house and waited to hear what the man who had trusted in mud would say. And he, having come, beat upon the closed doorway, and cried, "Open to me, brother, and let us in, for the rain is great and my children weep without."