When the Wizard Came

WHEN THE WIZARD CAME.

The wizard was not permitted on the world, so he traveled around on the edge until he made a trail there. He spoke to the stars as they passed near him and asked each for permission to go to the world, but they never granted his request. He saw that some stars never came down to the edge of the world so he set up a lodge under them and dwelt in it so that he might be near if they should come down, for he thought that one of them might give him permission to go on the world. In this lodge a vision came to him in which he was told to go on the trail again where a message would come to him. He followed the trail around the edge of the world and a bright star spoke to him. It appeared in the form of a beautiful young woman who told him she was the daughter of the Sky and that her father had sent her with a message to him. She told him to return to his lodge and abide in it until the moon was again round and then go upon the world where he would find the sons of Tate. When he found them he must with his power as a wizard aid them in the work they were doing. When this work was done she told him to go to the lodge of Tate, and then he could forever afterwards go upon the world as he wished.

He did as he was bidden. He found the sons of Tate camped for the night, for they were making a journey. He said, "Ho, my grandchildren," and asked permission to camp with them that night. Because Yata. was the first-born he was the leader of the party. He answered in a surly manner and turned his back towards the old man. But Okaga, the fourth-born spoke kindly and bade the wizard sit on his side of the campfire. When the brothers ate, the old min said he was hungry. Yata replied that he should not travel without food, for he had none to give away; but Okaga gave him some of his food which he kept in a little bag. The old man ate much of it, but when he returned the bag to Okaga it was full of food. Ever afterwards, it remained full of good food, though Okaga often ate from it until he was satisfied.

When they had eaten, the three older brothers wrapped their robes about them and lay down to sleep. Okaga gave his robe to the old man and it spread until it was so large that both Okaga and the old man could lie upon it and cover with it. So they slept together that night.

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In the morning, the robe was small and light, but ever afterward it remained like new, and would stretch so that Okaga could lie upon it and cover with it at the same time. He asked the brothers where they wished to go. They told him that their father had sent them to make the four directions and put them on the edge of the world. He told them that he lived on the edge of the world, and could guide them, to it, and that if they would do as be bade them he could bring them there quickly.

They agreed to do as he would tell them. Then he gave each of them a pair of moccasins, for before this their feet had always been bare. He showed them how to put them on and bade them stand side by side with him. Then Yata said his direction should be the first because it was his birthright to be first in everything and that his father had told him that his direction must be on the edge of the world where the shadows are longest at midday. He ordered the old man to guide them to that place. Then the old man told them that with the aid of the moccasins they could step from hilltop to hilltop far away. He bade Yata step first; but he was afraid, and would not move. Then the old man bade Iya, the second born, to step, and he did so and was soon on a hilltop far away. Then Yata stepped forward and was beside Iya. Yanpa, the third born, then stepped, and he too stood beside his brothers. When the three brothers had gone the old man asked Okaga to come with him; they stepped together and went far beyond the three brothers. He called them. When they came he told them that they could travel best under clouds and immediately it became so cloudy that neither the sun nor the sky could be seen. They traveled under the clouds more swiftly than the birds could fly and in the evening they came to a high mountain where the old man told them to camp that night. In the morning he told them to go over the mountain and there they would find the edge of the world. They did as he bade them. When they came to the edge of the world they set up a great heap of stones. This was the first direction.

When the first direction was made they saw the sun. They saw that the mountain stood where the sun went down at the close of the day's journey. When they saw this, Yata raged, for this was Iya's direction and it was first. The old man stood before the brothers and told Yata that because he was cruel and surly, and a coward afraid to step first in the work his father bad sent him to do, his birthright had been taken from hint and given to Iya and that Iya would forever be considered first in all things. Then Yata hid his face and wept.