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molasses and flour。'
〃And I made answer： 'This be good talk； and wisdom abideth in thy
mouth。 We will trade。 For this much of flour and molasses givest thou
me the caddy of 〃Star〃 and the two buckets of smoking。'
〃And Moosu groaned； and when the trade was made and the shaman
departed； he upbraided me： 'Now； because of thy madness are we； indeed；
lost！ Neewak maketh hooch on his own account； and when the time is
ripe； he will command the people to drink of no hooch but his hooch。
And in this way are we undone； and our goods worthless； and our igloo
mean； and the bed of Moosu cold and empty！'
〃And I answered： 'By the body of the wolf； say I； thou art a fool； and
thy father before thee； and thy children after thee； down to the last
generation。 Thy wisdom is worse than no wisdom and thine eyes blinded
to business； of which I have spoken and whereof thou knowest nothing。
Go； thou son of a thousand fools； and drink of the hooch that Neewak
brews in his igloo； and thank thy gods that thou hast a white man's wisdom
to make soft the bed thou liest in。 Go！ and when thou hast drunken； return
with the taste still on thy lips； that I may know。'
〃And two days after； Neewak sent greeting and invitation to his igloo。
Moosu went； but I sat alone； with the song of the still in my ears； and the
air thick with the shaman's tobacco； for trade was slack that night； and no
one dropped in but Angeit； a young hunter that had faith in me。 Later；
Moosu came back； his speech thick with chuckling and his eyes wrinkling
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The Faith of Men
with laughter。
〃'Thou art a great man；' he said。 'Thou art a great man； O master； and
because of thy greatness thou wilt not condemn Moosu； thy servant； who
ofttimes doubts and cannot be made to understand。'
〃'And wherefore now？' I demanded。 'Hast thou drunk overmuch？
And are they sleeping sound in the igloo of Neewak； the shaman？'
〃'Nay； they are angered and sore of body； and Chief Tummasook has
thrust his thumbs in the throat of Neewak； and sworn by the bones of his
ancestors to look upon his face no more。 For behold！ I went to the igloo；
and the brew simmered and bubbled； and the steam journeyed through the
gooseneck even as thy steam； and even as thine it became water where it
met the ice； and dropped into the pot at the far end。 And Neewak gave us
to drink； and lo； it was not like thine； for there was no bite to the tongue
nor tingling to the eyeballs； and of a truth it was water。 So we drank； and
we drank overmuch； yet did we sit with cold hearts and solemn。 And
Neewak was perplexed and a cloud came on his brow。 And he took
Tummasook and Ipsukuk alone of all the company and set them apart； and
bade them drink and drink and drink。 And they drank and drank and
drank； and yet sat solemn and cold； till Tummasook arose in wrath and
demanded back the furs and the tea he had paid。 And Ipsukuk raised her
voice； thin and angry。 And the company demanded back what they had
given； and there was a great commotion。'
〃'Does the son of a dog deem me a whale？' demanded Tummasook；
shoving back the skin flap and standing erect； his face black and his brows
angry。 'Wherefore I am filled； like a fish…bladder； to bursting； till I can
scarce walk； what of the weight within me。 Lalah！ I have drunken as
never before； yet are my eyes clear； my knees strong； my hand steady。'
〃'The shaman cannot send us to sleep with the gods；' the people
complained； stringing in and joining us； 'and only in thy igloo may the
thing be done。'
〃So I laughed to myself as I passed the hooch around and the guests
made merry。 For in the flour I had traded to Neewak I had mixed much
soda that I had got from the woman Ipsukuk。 So how could his brew
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The Faith of Men
ferment when the soda kept it sweet？ Or his hooch be hooch when it
would not sour？
〃After that our wealth flowed in without let or hindrance。 Furs we
had without number； and the fancy…work of the women； all of the chief's
tea； and no end of meat。 One day Moosu retold for my benefit； and sadly
mangled； the story of Joseph in Egypt； but from it I got an idea； and soon I
had half the tribe at work building me great meat caches。 And of all they
hunted I got the lion's share and stored it away。 Nor was Moosu idle。
He made himself a pack of cards from birch bark； and taught Neewak the
way to play seven…up。 He also inveigled the father of Tukeliketa into the
game。 And one day he married the maiden； and the next day he moved
into the shaman's house； which was the finest in the village。 The fall of
Neewak was complete； for he lost all his possessions； his walrus… hide
drums； his incantation toolseverything。 And in the end he became a
hewer of wood and drawer of water at the beck and call of Moosu。 And
Moosuhe set himself up as shaman； or high priest； and out of his garbled
Scripture created new gods and made incantation before strange altars。
〃And I was well pleased； for I thought it good that church and state go
hand in hand； and I had certain plans of my own concerning the state。
Events were shaping as I had foreseen。 Good temper and smiling faces
had vanished from the village。 The people were morose and sullen。
There were quarrels and fighting； and things were in an uproar night and
day。 Moosu's cards were duplicated and the hunters fell to gambling
among themselves。 Tummasook beat his wife horribly； and his mother's
brother objected and smote him with a tusk of walrus till he cried aloud in
the night and was shamed before the people。 Also； amid such diversions
no hunting was done； and famine fell upon the land。 The nights were
long and dark； and without meat no hooch could be bought； so they
murmured against the chief。 This I had played for； and when they were
well and hungry； I summoned the whole village； made a great harangue；
posed as patriarch； and