“Dire war,” said Shoozoo, “is hovering over the world, and, unless it is averted, neither Men nor Apes nor earth will long survive. Only recently I saw the world mount up toward the sky, and to-day it stands on tip-toe trying to reach the heavens; for the Alps have not yet gone down. The great Swamp left its bed to march over dry ground, and has not yet gone back. The noise of the earthquake has hardly yet subsided, but still reverberates in distant thunders; and, should war yet rage, things will be so mixed up that nothing will remain for earth or sky that is certain for either.” “I will arise as a mist,” said Simlee, “and, passing between the two armies, prevent their collision by destroying their sight.” “The Fire-god will soon scatter the mists,” said Night, “so that they can fight in clear day. Let me rather settle down upon them, through whom none can see; and, though it be but noon, I will wipe out their day.” And wrapping herself in thick clouds she started for the earth to cover the battle-field with impenetrable shadows. “Let me rather,” said the great Alligator, “empty the Swamp on them again, and overwhelm them with a second flood.” “They have made boats,” said the Wind, “and now defy the waters. Let me rather start the air against them. I will give it wings to beat their faces and call in Thunder to frighten them and Rain to blind them, and will so mix heaven and earth and sea together against them that they cannot proceed.” “There is nothing,” said Shoozoo, “that will avail, but to assuage their wrath, which crosses streams and night and outlasts weather. An interruption to-day prolongs the war, but does not end it. Let us not, by impeding them, add to their rage against each other and their anger against us. For I fear that men will one day mount to heaven and destroy the Gods.” This advice they consented to follow, not, however, because any of them wanted to, but because they could not agree among themselves what to do. It was accordingly decided that the deities, operating all together, should descend to the combatants to work on their minds; and so, wrapping themselves in clouds, and mists, and rain, and shadow, and light, which were all mistaken by Mortals for forms of the weather, they entered the battle with both Men and Apes, and worked for peace and a mitigation of the horrors of war. But when Men and Gods are thus at variance, the Gods fail; and the council of heaven having broken up, the war of earth went on. CHAPTER XXVII. [Illustration] First Koree, unmindful of the counsel of the skies, moved forward, and, fearing neither Gods nor Monkeys, sought to begin the battle. He stood in the plain between the two armies, like an oak in an open field between two forests. Breathing defiance to the Lali, he called out: “Who dares to meet me of all your hosts, and ward off death from his brow when I discharge this dart, the swift avenger of my wrong?”