Canadian Fairy Tales — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Canadian Fairy Tales
John Stuart Mill · en
Towards evening when they were now far inland, they came to a large
lake. Among the trees on the fringe of the lake a large fat man was
lying flat on his stomach with his mouth in the water drinking as hard
as he could. For some time they watched him, but still he drank and
the lake grew smaller and smaller and still his thirst was not
quenched. They laughed at such a strange sight, and as they approached
him the boy said, "Hello! Why do you lie there drinking so much
water?" "Oh," answered the fat man, "there are times when I cannot get
enough water to drink. When I have drunk this lake dry I shall still
be thirsty." "Who are you?" asked the boy. "I am Man of the Great
Thirst," said the fat man. "That is well," said Great Heart, "we two
need a third companion. We can do great deeds and we can win for you
great treasure." So the three went along together.
[Illustration: HE CAME ONE DAY UPON A MAN CLAD IN SCARLET SITTING ON
THE SIDE OF A ROCKY HILL TYING STONES TO HIS FEET]
They had not gone far when they came to a wide open plain where they
saw a man walking along with his face raised upwards, peering at the
sky. He moved along rapidly and seemed to find his way without his
eyes, for he gazed steadily at the heavens. "Hello," said Great Heart
as the sky-gazer rushed past him and almost knocked him over, "what
are you looking at so intently?" "Oh," said the man, "I have shot an
arrow into the sky and I am waiting for it to fall. It has gone so far
that it will be some time before it drops." "Who are you?" asked the
boy. "I am the Far-Darter," said the sky-gazer. "We three need a
fourth companion," said the boy. "We can do great deeds and win for
you much treasure. Come along with us." So the four went along
together.