“He grows bigger at once on what he feeds,” said one, as the fire increased with the supply of several trees; “see how fat he is getting, and how he struggles at his meals. One would think the tree is alive at which he is eating, and that he is fighting to kill it, as when a tiger eats an alligator.” When the fire died down, and it was not convenient to get more wood, Cocoanut-scooper threw in some vegetables and fruits, saying: “I wonder if he will eat these. He seems, like a hog, to eat everything.” But the fire continued to become less, and all were surprised that it was fastidious about its food, and would eat nothing but wood. More wood was, accordingly, brought, and soon the monster had reached its full size again. “It does not pay to keep this animal,” said Oko; “it takes all our time to carry food to him. Loose him that, like the urus, he may wander through the forest and feed himself.” “He will eat the whole forest and us too, if he gets loose,” replied Fire-tamer. Several approached so near that they got burned, so that many doubted the utility of the beast on account of its danger. One who got a whiff of smoke in the face thought he was being attacked, and discharged a dart at the monster. “I am afraid to sleep at night with this brute in the camp,” said one; “he will eat us all before morning.” “When he appeared last night in the sky,” observed another, referring to the Aurora, “he did not harm us.” The people, however, were divided, some wanting to get rid of him, and others to keep him. When it got warm the beast became unpopular, which was about the middle of the day; but as it cooled off toward night, he was more in favor. “He must be thirsty,” said Pounder; “let us bring water and give him a drink.” So saying he went to a pool, and, filling a gourd, poured water on the fire, which had become low from lack of fuel. The fire immediately went out, to the surprise of all. “He hates water and has run into his hole,” said Pounder. “Let us dig him out,” said Koree, who thought he was a kind of woodchuck that could be easily unearthed. On examination, however, they found no hole into which he could have crawled, and so gave up digging. “He will come out of a volcano soon,” said Fire-tamer, “and I shall watch for him in the mountains.” Gimbo was profoundly thankful, however, that he was gone. He had worshipped him as a god out of fear; but now that water destroyed him, he worshipped the water instead, as a greater spirit, and he was nearly converted to the religion of the Lali, who had great faith in the power of water, and especially of the water of the great Swamp, in which the winged Alligator dwelt. As evening came, however, with its dampness, they again suffered, and doubt came with their discomforts, and they slept uncertain whether fire should be the companion of their lives.