The Rainmaker

"I was your Rainmaker," He said. I did my work as well as I could for many years. Now the demons are against me, nothing I do succeeds. Therefore I have offered myself for a sacrifice. That will placate the demons. My son Turu will be your new Rainmaker. Now kill me, and when I am dead do exactly as my son says. Farewell! And now who will be my executioner? I recommend the drummer Maro; he is surely the right man for the task."

He fell silent. No one stirred. Turu, flushed deeply under the heavy fur headdress, gave a rotmented look around the circle. HIs father's mouth twisted mockingly. At last the tribal mother stamped her foot furiously, beckoned to Maro and shouted at him: "Go ahead! Take the axe and do it."

Maro, axe clutched in his hands, posted himself before his former teacher. He hated him more than ever; the lines of scorn around those silent old lips irked him bitterly. He raised the axe and swung it over his head. Taking aim, he held it along, staring into the victim's fae, waiting for him to close his eyes. But Knecht did not; he kept his eyes wide open, fixed steadily on the man with the axe. ther were almost expressionless, but what expression there was hovered between pity and scorn.

In fury, Maro flung the axe away. "I won't do it," he murmered, and pressing throught the circle of dignitaries he lost himself in the crowd. Several villagers laughed softly. The tribal mother had turned pale with rage, as much at Maro's uselessness and cowardice as at the arrogance of the Rainmaker. she beckoned to one of the oldest men, a quiet, dignified person who stood leaning on his axe and seemed to be ashamed of this whole unseemly scene. He stepped forward and gave the victim a brief, friendly nod. The had known eah other sine boyhood. And now the victim willingly closed his eyes; Knecht closed them tightly, and bowed his head a little. The old man struck with the axe. Knecht fell. Turu, the new Rainmaker, could not say a word. He gave the neessary orders with gestures alone. Soon the pyre was heaped up and the body laid on it. the solemn ritual of making fire with two consecrated sticks was Turu's first official act.