MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF
Thus they sang. And they sang so loudly and so steadily that light began to steal up into the sky, like a faint dawn. The old chief saw it. At once he shouted,
Let there not be————!
Let there not be————!
Had he said "light" as the last word, light would have come. But at once the light disappeared below the edge of the sky.
Now young Fox kept on conjuring and crying,
Khain, khain, khain, khain!
and the animals kept on dancing and singing for light, because they wanted to tire the old chief. And again light began to steal into the sky. Then the old chief saw it and he became much excited. The noise confused him and he shouted,
Let there be—light!
And immediately the light came up into the sky. Ever since then men have had light. But the old chief did not mean to say that.
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