"Now must I be brief. _Lat_ after _lat_ the Shining One went forth,
returning with its sacrifices. And stronger after each it grew--and
gayer and more cruel. Ever when it passed with its prey toward the
pool, the _Taithu_ who watched felt a swift, strong intoxication, a
drunkenness of spirit, streaming from it to them. And the Shining One
forgot what it had promised them of dominion--and in this new evil
delight they too forgot.

"The outer land was torn with hatred and open strife. The moon king
and his kind, through the guidance of the evil _Taithu_ and the favour
of the Shining One, had become powerful and the sun king and his were
darkened. And the moon priests preached that the child of the Three
was the moon god itself come to dwell with them.

"Now vast tides arose and when they withdrew they took with them great
portions of this country. And the land itself began to sink. Then said
the moon king that the moon had called to ocean to destroy because
wroth that another than he was worshipped. The people believed and
there was slaughter. When it was over there was no more a sun king nor
any of the ruddy-haired folk; slain were they, slain down to the babe
at breast.

"But still the tides swept higher; still dwindled the land!

"As it shrank multitudes of the fleeing people were led through Moon
Pool Chamber and carried here. They were what now are called the
_ladala_, and they were given place and set to work; and they thrived.
Came many of the fair-haired; and they were given dwellings. They sat
beside the evil _Taithu_; they became drunk even as they with the