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power among them； so it were well that we trade； you and I； even as
you have traded with them； for molasses and flour。'
〃And I made answer： 'This be good talk； and wisdom abideth in thy
mouth。 We will trade。 For this much of flour and molasses givest
thou me the caddy of 〃Star〃 and the two buckets of smoking。'
〃And Moosu groaned； and when the trade was made and the shaman
departed； he upbraided me： 'Now； because of thy madness are we；
indeed； lost！ Neewak maketh hooch on his own account； and when the
time is ripe； he will command the people to drink of no hooch but
his hooch。 And in this way are we undone； and our goods worthless；
and our igloo mean； and the bed of Moosu cold and empty！'
〃And I answered： 'By the body of the wolf； say I； thou art a fool；
and thy father before thee； and thy children after thee； down to
the last generation。 Thy wisdom is worse than no wisdom and thine
eyes blinded to business； of which I have spoken and whereof thou
knowest nothing。 Go； thou son of a thousand fools； and drink of
the hooch that Neewak brews in his igloo； and thank thy gods that
thou hast a white man's wisdom to make soft the bed thou liest in。
Go！ and when thou hast drunken； return with the taste still on thy
lips； that I may know。'
〃And two days after； Neewak sent greeting and invitation to his
igloo。 Moosu went； but I sat alone； with the song of the still in
my ears； and the air thick with the shaman's tobacco； for trade was
slack that night； and no one dropped in but Angeit； a young hunter
that had faith in me。 Later； Moosu came back； his speech thick
with chuckling and his eyes wrinkling with laughter。
〃'Thou art a great man；' he said。 'Thou art a great man； O master；
and because of thy greatness thou wilt not condemn Moosu； thy
servant； who ofttimes doubts and cannot be made to understand。'
〃'And wherefore now？' I demanded。 'Hast thou drunk overmuch？ And
are they sleeping sound in the igloo of Neewak； the shaman？'
〃'Nay； they are angered and sore of body； and Chief Tummasook has
thrust his thumbs in the throat of Neewak； and sworn by the bones
of his ancestors to look upon his face no more。 For behold！ I went
to the igloo； and the brew simmered and bubbled； and the steam
journeyed through the gooseneck even as thy steam； and even as
thine it became water where it met the ice； and dropped into the
pot at the far end。 And Neewak gave us to drink； and lo； it was
not like thine； for there was no bite to the tongue nor tingling to
the eyeballs； and of a truth it was water。 So we drank； and we
drank overmuch； yet did we sit with cold hearts and solemn。 And
Neewak was perplexed and a cloud came on his brow。 And he took
Tummasook and Ipsukuk alone of all the company and set them apart；
and bade them drink and drink and drink。 And they drank and drank
and drank； and yet sat solemn and cold； till Tummasook arose in
wrath and demanded back the furs and the tea he had paid。 And
Ipsukuk raised her voice； thin and angry。 And the company demanded
back what they had given； and there was a great commotion。'
〃'Does the son of a dog deem me a whale？' demanded Tummasook；
shoving back the skin flap and standing erect； his face black and
his brows angry。 'Wherefore I am filled； like a fish…bladder； to
bursting； till I can scarce walk； what of the weight within me。
Lalah！ I have drunken as never before； yet are my eyes clear； my
knees strong； my hand steady。'
〃'The shaman cannot send us to sleep with the gods；' the people
complained； stringing in and joining us； 'and only in thy igloo may
the thing be done。'
〃So I laughed to myself as I passed the hooch around and the guests
made merry。 For in the flour I had traded to Neewak I had mixed
much soda that I had got from the woman Ipsukuk。 So how could his
brew ferment when the soda kept it sweet？ Or his hooch be hooch
when it would not sour？
〃After that our wealth flowed in without let or hindrance。 Furs we
had without number； and the fancy…work of the women； all of the
chief's tea； and no end of meat。 One day Moosu retold for my
benefit； and sadly mangled； the story of Joseph in Egypt； but from
it I got an idea； and soon I had half the tribe at work building me
great meat caches。 And of all they hunted I got the lion's share
and stored it away。 Nor was Moosu idle。 He made himself a pack of
cards from birch bark； and taught Neewak the way to play seven…up。
He also inveigled the father of Tukeliketa into the game。 And one
day he married the maiden； and the next day he moved into the
shaman's house； which was the finest in the village。 The fall of
Neewak was complete； for he lost all his possessions； his walrus…
hide drums； his incantation toolseverything。 And in the end he
became a hewer of wood and drawer of water at the beck and call of
Moosu。 And Moosuhe set himself up as shaman； or high priest； and
out of his garbled Scripture created new gods and made incantation
before strange altars。
〃And I was well pleased； for I thought it good that church and
state go hand in hand； and I had certain plans of my own concerning
the state。 Events were shaping as I had foreseen。 Good temper and
smiling faces had vanished from the village。 The people were
morose and sullen。 There were quarrels and fighting； and things
were in an uproar night and day。 Moosu's cards were duplicated and
the hunters fell to gambling among themselves。 Tummasook beat his
wife horribly； and his mother's brother objected and smote him with
a tusk of walrus till he cried aloud in the night and was shamed
before the people。 Also； amid such diversions no hunting was done；
and famine fell upon the land。 The nights were long and dark； and
without meat no hooch could be bought； so they murmured against the
chief。 This I had played for； and when they were well and hungry；
I summoned the whole village； made a great harangue； posed as
patriarch； and fed the famishing。 Moosu made harangue likewise；
and because of this and the thing I had done I was made chief。
Moosu； who had the ear of God and decreed his judgments； anointed
me with whale blubber； and right blubberly he did it； not
understanding the ceremony。 And between us we interpreted to the
people the new theory of the divine right of kings。 There was
hooch galore； and meat and feastings； and they took kindly to the
new order。
〃So you see； O man； I have sat in the high places； and worn the
purple； and ruled populations。 And I might yet be a king had the
tobacco held out； or had Moosu been more fool and less knave。 For
he cast eyes upon Esanetuk； eldest daughter to Tummasook； and I
objected。
〃'O brother；' he explained； 'thou hast seen fit to speak of
introducing new institutions amongst this people； and I have
listened to thy words and gained wisdom thereby。 Thou rulest by
the God…given right； and by the God…given right I marry。'
〃I noted that he 'brothered' me； and was angry and put my foot
down。 But he fell back upon the people and made incantations for
three days； in which all hands joined； and then； speaking with the
voice of God； he decreed polygamy by divine fiat。 But he was
shrewd； for he limited the number of wives by a property
qualification； and because of which he； above all men； was favoured
by his wealth。 Nor could I fail to admire； though it was plain
that power had turned his head； and he would not be satisfied till
all the power and all the wealth rested in his own hands。 So he
became swollen with pride； forgot it was I that had placed him
there； and made preparations to destroy me。
〃But it was interesting； for the beggar was working out in his own
way an evolution of primitive society。 Now I； by virtue of the
hooch monopoly； drew a revenue in which I no longer permitted him
to share。 So he meditated for a while and evolved a system of
ecclesiastical taxation。 He laid tithes upon the people； haran