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the chief men of the village； and give them greeting； and bid them
come into my igloo and sleep the night away with me and the gods。'
〃The brew was singing merrily when they began shoving aside the
skin flap and crawling in； and I was heaping cracked ice on the
gun…barrel。 Out of the priming hole at the far end； drip； drip；
drip into the iron pot fell the liquorHOOCH； you know。 But
they'd never seen the like； and giggled nervously when I made
harangue about its virtues。 As I talked I noted the jealousy in
the shaman's eye； so when I had done； I placed him side by side
with Tummasook and the woman Ipsukuk。 Then I gave them to drink；
and their eyes watered and their stomachs warmed； till from being
afraid they reached greedily for more； and when I had them well
started； I turned to the others。 Tummasook made a brag about how
he had once killed a polar bear； and in the vigour of his pantomime
nearly slew his mother's brother。 But nobody heeded。 The woman
Ipsukuk fell to weeping for a son lost long years agone in the ice；
and the shaman made incantation and prophecy。 So it went； and
before morning they were all on the floor； sleeping soundly with
the gods。
〃The story tells itself； does it not？ The news of the magic potion
spread。 It was too marvellous for utterance。 Tongues could tell
but a tithe of the miracles it performed。 It eased pain； gave
surcease to sorrow； brought back old memories； dead faces； and
forgotten dreams。 It was a fire that ate through all the blood；
and； burning； burned not。 It stoutened the heart； stiffened the
back； and made men more than men。 It revealed the future； and gave
visions and prophecy。 It brimmed with wisdom and unfolded secrets。
There was no end of the things it could do； and soon there was a
clamouring on all hands to sleep with the gods。 They brought their
warmest furs； their strongest dogs； their best meats； but I sold
the hooch with discretion； and only those were favoured that
brought flour and molasses and sugar。 And such stores poured in
that I set Moosu to build a cache to hold them； for there was soon
no space in the igloo。 Ere three days had passed Tummasook had
gone bankrupt。 The shaman； who was never more than half drunk
after the first night； watched me closely and hung on for the
better part of the week。 But before ten days were gone； even the
woman Ipsukuk exhausted her provisions； and went home weak and
tottery。
〃But Moosu complained。 'O master；' he said； 'we have laid by great
wealth in molasses and sugar and flour； but our shack is yet mean；
our clothes thin； and our sleeping furs mangy。 There is a call of
the belly for meat the stench of which offends not the stars； and
for tea such as Tummasook guzzles； and there is a great yearning
for the tobacco of Neewak； who is shaman and who plans to destroy
us。 I have flour until I am sick； and sugar and molasses without
stint； yet is the heart of Moosu sore and his bed empty。'
〃'Peace！' I answered； 'thou art weak of understanding and a fool。
Walk softly and wait； and we will grasp it all。 But grasp now； and
we grasp little； and in the end it will be nothing。 Thou art a
child in the way of the white man's wisdom。 Hold thy tongue and
watch； and I will show you the way my brothers do overseas； and； so
doing； gather to themselves the riches of the earth。 It is what is
called 〃business；〃 and what dost thou know about business？'
〃But the next day he came in breathless。 'O master； a strange
thing happeneth in the igloo of Neewak； the shaman； wherefore we
are lost； and we have neither worn the warm furs nor tasted the
good tobacco； what of your madness for the molasses and flour。 Go
thou and witness whilst I watch by the brew。'
〃So I went to the igloo of Neewak。 And behold； he had made his own
still； fashioned cunningly after mine。 And as he beheld me he
could ill conceal his triumph。 For he was a man of parts； and his
sleep with the gods when in my igloo had not been sound。
〃But I was not disturbed； for I knew what I knew； and when I
returned to my own igloo； I descanted to Moosu； and said： 'Happily
the property right obtains amongst this people； who otherwise have
been blessed with but few of the institutions of men。 And because
of this respect for property shall you and I wax fat； and； further；
we shall introduce amongst them new institutions that other peoples
have worked out through great travail and suffering。'
〃But Moosu understood dimly； till the shaman came forth； with eyes
flashing and a threatening note in his voice； and demanded to trade
with me。 'For look you；' he cried； 'there be of flour and molasses
none in all the village。 The like have you gathered with a shrewd
hand from my people； who have slept with your gods and who now have
nothing save large heads； and weak knees； and a thirst for cold
water that they cannot quench。 This is not good； and my voice has
power among them； so it were well that we trade； you and I； even as
you have traded with them； for 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 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 so