The Gods of Pegana Part 1

The G.o.ds of Pegana.

by Lord Dunsany [Edward J. M. D. Plunkett].

PREFACE

In the mists before THE BEGINNING, Fate and Chance cast lots to decide whose the Game should be; and he that won strode through the mists to MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI and said: "Now make G.o.ds for Me, for I have won the cast and the Game is to be Mine." Who it was that won the cast, and whether it was Fate or whether Chance that went through the mists before THE BEGINNING to MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI--_none knoweth._

INTRODUCTION

Before there stood G.o.ds upon Olympus, or ever Allah was Allah, had wrought and rested MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI.

There are in Pegana Mung and Sish and Kib, and the maker of all small G.o.ds, who is MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI. Moreover, we have a faith in Roon and Slid.

And it has been said of old that all things that have been were wrought by the small G.o.ds, excepting only MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI, who made the G.o.ds and hath thereafter rested.

And none may pray to MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI but only the G.o.ds whom he hath made.

But at the Last will MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI forget to rest, and will make again new G.o.ds and other worlds, and will destroy the G.o.ds whom he hath made.

And the G.o.ds and the worlds shall depart, and there shall be only MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI.

OF SKARL THE DRUMMER

When MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI had made the G.o.ds and Skarl, Skarl made a drum, and began to beat upon it that he might drum for ever. Then because he was weary after the making of the G.o.ds, and because of the drumming of Skarl, did MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI grow drowsy and fall asleep.

And there fell a hush upon the G.o.ds when they saw that MANA rested, and there was silence on Pegana save for the drumming of Skarl.

Skarl sitteth upon the mist before the feet of MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI, above the G.o.ds of Pegana, and there he beateth his drum. Some say that the Worlds and the Suns are but the echoes of the drumming of Skarl, and others say that they be dreams that arise in the mind of MANA because of the drumming of Skarl, as one may dream whose rest is troubled by sound of song, but none knoweth, for who hath heard the voice of MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI, or who hath seen his drummer?

Whether the season be winter or whether it be summer, whether it be morning among the worlds or whether it be night, Skarl still beateth his drum, for the purposes of the G.o.ds are not yet fulfilled.

Sometimes the arm of Skarl grows weary; but still he beateth his drum, that the G.o.ds may do the work of the G.o.ds, and the worlds go on, for if he cease for an instant then MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI will start awake, and there will be worlds nor G.o.ds no more.

But, when at the last the arm of Skarl shall cease to beat his drum, silence shall startle Pegana like thunder in a cave, and MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI shall cease to rest.

Then shall Skarl put his drum upon his back and walk forth into the void beyond the worlds, because it is THE END, and the work of Skarl is over.

There may arise some other G.o.d whom Skarl may serve, or it may be that he shall perish; but to Skarl it shall matter not, for he shall have done the work of Skarl.

OF THE MAKING OF THE WORLDS

When MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI had made the G.o.ds there were only the G.o.ds, and They sat in the middle of Time, for there was as much Time before them as behind them, which having no end had neither a beginning.

And Pegana was without heat or light or sound, save for the drumming of Skarl; moreover Pegana was The Middle of All, for there was below Pegana what there was above it, and there lay before it that which lay beyond.

Then said the G.o.ds, making the signs of the G.o.ds and speaking with Their hands lest the silence of Pegana should blush; then said the G.o.ds to one another, speaking with Their hands; "Let Us make worlds to amuse Ourselves while MANA rests. Let Us make worlds and Life and Death, and colours in the sky; only let Us not break the silence upon Pegana."

Then raising Their hands, each G.o.d according to his sign, They made the worlds and the suns, and put a light in the houses of the sky.

Then said the G.o.ds: "Let Us make one to seek, to seek and never to find out concerning the wherefore of the making of the G.o.ds."

And They made by the lifting of Their hands, each G.o.d according to his sign, the Bright One with the flaring tail to seek from the end of the Worlds to the end of them again, to return again after a hundred years.

Man, when thou seest the comet, know that another seeketh besides thee nor ever findeth out.

Then said the G.o.ds, still speaking with Their hands: "Let there be now a Watcher to regard."

And They made the Moon, with his face wrinkled with many mountains and worn with a thousand valleys, to regard with pale eyes the games of the small G.o.ds, and to watch throughout the resting time of MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI; to watch, to regard all things, and be silent.

Then said the G.o.ds: "Let Us make one to rest. One not to move among the moving. One not to seek like the comet, nor to go round like the worlds; to rest while MANA rests."

And They made the Star of the Abiding and set it in the North.

Man, when thou seest the Star of the Abiding to the North, know that one resteth as doth MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI, and know that somewhere among the Worlds is rest.

Lastly the G.o.ds said: "We have made worlds and suns, and one to seek and another to regard, let Us now make one to wonder."

And They made Earth to wonder, each G.o.d by the uplifting of his hand according to his sign.

And Earth was.

OF THE GAME OF THE G.o.dS

A million years pa.s.sed over the first game of the G.o.ds. And MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI still rested, still in the middle of Time, and the G.o.ds still played with Worlds. The Moon regarded, and the Bright One sought, and returned again to his seeking.

Then Kib grew weary of the first game of the G.o.ds, and raised his hand in Pegana, making the sign of Kib, and Earth became covered with beasts for Kib to play with.

And Kib played with beasts.

But the other G.o.ds said one to another, speaking with their hands: "What is it that Kib has done?"

And They said to Kib: "What are these things that move upon The Earth yet move not in circles like the Worlds, that regard like the Moon and yet they do not shine?"

And Kib said: "This is Life."

But the G.o.ds said one to another: "If Kib has thus made beasts he will in time make Men, and will endanger the Secret of the G.o.ds."