“Mot[=a]tza,” he began, “in what you have told me there is not more substance than in the clouds above, when the Shiuana do not dwell in them.  It is colour, white colour.  It is nothing.  You have been painting; the picture is done, but no spirit is there.  Shyuote is a lazy, idle brat; he shirks work; but when you say to him, Sit down and eat, then he all at once becomes active.  In this way he sneaks around from house to house.  He may have overheard something said about you and your ways, he may even have surprised the Koshare while talking among themselves.  But it is quite as likely that the toad has invented the whole story just in order to anger you, for he always finds time to sneak, to lounge, and to hatch lies, the lazy, good-for-nothing eavesdropper!  I tell you what it is, that boy is fit for nothing but a Koshare, and a real good one will he become.”

“But,” Okoya rejoined, “if the Delight Makers have spoken about the yaya and me, there must be some cause for it.”

“Don’t you know that these shutzuna always find some occasion for gossip?” Hayoue cried.  “Don’t they run into every house?  Don’t their women stick their noses into every bowl, in order to find out what the people cook and eat?  Rest easy, satyumishe, your mother is good, she has nothing in common with the Koshare.”

“But is not the nashtio one of them?  Your brother, my father?  Is he like the rest of them?”

Hayoue replied, assuming an important mien,—­

“It is true that brother is, and I don’t like it; but we can’t change it.  It was so ordained long ago, for my father himself was Koshare.  Beside, let me tell you that not all that the Koshare do is wrong.  If there were no Koshare, it would not be good for the people.  They must see that Those Above assist us when the corn ripens, and inasmuch as they perform their duties, they are necessary to us.  It is also well that they should bring joy and mirth among the tribe, but”—­he raised his hand and his eyes flashed—­“they must not go beyond their duty.  Their leader shall not presume to be more than the Hotshanyi, who has to suffer and bear for our sake and for our good.  They shall do their duty and no more.  It is not their duty to make people believe that they are wiser than the chayani and to induce the people to give them bowl after bowl full of meal, feathers, shells, and whatever else may be good and precious.  For it is not to the Koshare as a body that all these things are distributed; it is only their naua who gets them, and through him his hanutsh, at the expense of all the other clans.  Neither shall the Koshare alone enjoy our makatza, pretending that it pleases Those Above!”

It thundered again, louder and longer than before.  Hayoue stopped, and then went on.

“Zashue fails to see all this.  He is Koshare, and follows in the tracks of the others like a blind man.  But we, the Cuirana,—­we see it.  I am not a principal, I cannot sit in council and speak, but withal I have noticed these doings for a long time.  I tell you, mot[=a]tza, that if the Delight Makers, the old fiend who rules them, and Tyope are not restrained very soon, there will be sorrow in the tribe; the people will become weak because they will be discontented, and finally the Moshome may come and destroy us all.”