Of a sudden, for the sun was rising, they heard Paíyatuma in his daylight mood and _‘hlímnan_. Thoughtless and loud, uncouth of mouth, was he, as he took his way along the outskirts of the village. Joking was he, as today joke fearlessly of the fearful, his children the Néwe-kwe, for all his words and deeds were reversals (_íyatï‘hlna pénawe_) of themselves and of his sacred being. Thus, when quickly the warrior priests were sped to meet him, and had given to him their greetings and messages, he sat him down on a heap of vile refuse, saying that he was about to make festival thereof, and could in no wise be disturbed. "Why come ye not?" said he, "cowards and followers of the people?" "Nay, but we are Priests of the Bow, the twain who lead them, father, and we do come." "Nay, but ye do not come!" "Yea, verily we do come, and to seek thy favor, asking that ye accompany us to the council of the elders," said the two priests. "Still I say ye nay, and that ye are children, all; and that if ye did come, ye could not summon me, and that if ye did summon me, go would I not, forsooth, to a council of little children; nay, not I!" said he, rising and preparing forthwith to follow them, as it were, but immediately taking the lead, and striding rudely into the presence of the fathers whom he greeted noisily and with laughter like one distraught, and without dignity or shame. "My poor little children," said he to the aged priests and the white haired matrons, "good the night to ye all" (albeit in full dawning); "ye fare happily, I see, which perplexes me with sorrow." "Comest thou, father?" said the chief priest; "pity thou our shame and sorrow." "Father yourself; nay, not I!" "Father," said the chief priest once more, "verily we are guilty, but lo! yet the more sad from much seeking in vain for our maidens the mothers of seed; and we have summoned thee to beseech the light of thy wisdom and favor, earnestly, O, father, notwithstanding our fault which thou thyself warned us in olden time to beware, yet do we beseech thee!" "Ha! how good that I find ye so happy, guileless, arrogant and so little needing of my counsel and helping." "But we beseech the light of thy favor, O, father, and aid in the finding of our beautiful maidens." "Oh that is all, is it? But why find that which is not lost, or summon those who will not come? Even if they were lost and would come, look now! I would not go to seek them. And if I went to seek them I could not find them, and if I found them and called them they would not hearken and follow, and even if they would I should bid them bide in Summerland if they were there, and tell them ye cared naught for their presence, having too preciously cherished them."