The Sorcerer's Children

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22402, 24 April 1936, Page 8 (Supplement)

The Sorcerer's Children

'J'IKI was the adopted son of a clever, though wicked, sorcerer, a man so full of evil that anyone who came into his shadow died instantly. People were afraid to pass his river-hut in their canoes which they generally carried overland until they were out of reach of his spell. He had adopted Tiki when the boy was only a few months old and brought him up to call him father. But the little boy never really cared for him. Tiki was about 14 years old and very handsome, and also very glad that he was a boy, for his foster-father had taught him to believe that boys were superior to girls in every way, and that if he listened carefully and learned his father's art, he would become the chief magician to a famous tribe. Tiki did not much like the idea of following in the sorcerer's footsteps, but he desired to become a big man in the tribe, so ho tried to learn his lessons, which were very hard. They were made much harder because he was really good and true and the evil that the sorcex-er cast about him warred with the goodness and truth in his heart. Now across the river, some distance further down, dwelt another sorcerer and his beauteous little child, a girl named Reo. This man had the power to bring to life the people who came into the shadow of Tiki's foster-father. At first it would seem that the second sorcerer was a good man, who used his power to counteract the evil that the other ma i did, and so to a certain extent it was. Only the little girl's father extracted extortionate payment from the relatives of the people who were under the death shadow. He therefore became very wealthy and they whom he benefited became practically slaves to him. So the two sorcerers, the man who had adopted Tiki, and the father of the beauteous little Reo, really worked hand-in-hand with each other and wrought much mischief. Tiki was very fond of Reo. She was an innocent and gentle girl and he had long realised that sho did not understand how her father earned his living, but he could see that she was not as happy as she should be. Once, when they were playing together, she told him that her father was hard and cold. "Lately," she said, "he has become much worse. You know that the crops failed this year and there has heen great want among the river tribes. Many of them come and beg of my father, and all around us there is food. Many lofts full of baskets of cooked birds, sealed in fat, and dried eels by the hundred, powdered roots and great pits of sweet potatoes. It pleases my father to hold all this, and to withhold it also." "You are a girl!" Tiki said, contemptuously. "Why should you' think of it? Why should you care?" "Why, indeed?" sho answered. "It may be that I am a girl—and so I both think of it and care and I cannot heln it." "Our fathers are evil men," Tiki told her, but she shook her head. "My father is not evil —ho is hard. He brings to life those who die in your father's shadow." "And keeps them forever in debt to him," said Tiki. That evening Reo was made sadder than ever, when an old woman came to her father and asked for a little food for her grandchildren: Her son and his wifo had died the year previously and left three little ones for her to fend for. 'I he tribe she belonged to were very poor and she went humbly to the sorcerer to ask his aid. He listened to her attentively, as she faltered her small request and then walked over to one of his many store lofts. Her feeble old heart beat thickly with eap;er hope and her dim old eyes glowed with pleasure and thankfulness. But when ho returned he brought to her only a few rods of supplejack. "Giro these to your grandchildren," he said shortly, "for theue and these only will they reimburse you when they are grown." "Oh," she said, "you are jesting. A jest is well at times, but tho time is not now. Good sir, give me food, the little ones perish." "I can give you nothing," he said harshly, "I am poor—very poor." "You are mocking me," she persisted, "The little ones starve I tell you! Give me but one basket of sweet potatoes. 1 will pay you back soon—quite soon. I will give you back two baskets —nay, three." But Reo's father only laughed. "I have already given you the nly thing

By GLORIA RAWLINSON

you can get without payment I give nothing more." Her head dropped on her breast and she feebly felt her way out of the place as though she was blind. Reo sat in front of the charcoal fire and listened to all. knowing that it would be useless to utter a protest and yet feeling that she must. "We could spare her a basket of sweet potatoes, father," she said slowly. "Our slaves are well fed. Our own people are never in want —and she in so oldl" "She is no kin of mine!" ,he said angrily. "Let her beg from her own and if they have nothing, let them starve. Why do you think I save and plan and prosper? It is all for you, ungrateful child. For you who are to be betrothed to your cousin when the tribe come north, and with plenty for a feast." "My cousin!" exclaimed R4o, clasping her hands, for she was only 12 years old and her cousin was a grown man ten years ago. "I do not like hhn—he is coarse and cruel." "He is a brave man. But speak no more of it. It is all settled and done with so far as you are concerned. When the tribe comes north there will be a feast and you will be betrothed to a brave man." The beauteous little Reo could not sleep at all that night. The next morning she paddled her canoe across the river and waited at the spot where Tiki and she always played. He came as usual, a little condescending, because after all. he reflected, Reo was but a girl, and though he had grown fond of his little playmate he could not forget that one day he was to be a great man. However, when she told him of her father's cruel refusal to give food to the old woman, and of her own fear of becoming betrothed to her cousin, he sat down feeling very miserable. "Our fathers are evil men," he said gloomily, and this time Reo did not contradict him. "Something must be done to put a stop to it," he went on, for the good in his heart was great. "And as for the old woman, you wait here. I will go and get a basket of sweet potatoes from our own store-house. Then we will paddle up the river and give them to the poor old thing." Half an hour later they were pulling upstream, their paddles cleaving the water with resolute and regular monotony. Every now and then, Tiki, looking at the golden-brown back of Reo as she sat in front of him and the sun shining on her thick, black curls, muttered, "Something must be done to put a stop to it." Presently the}- came to the hut where tho old woman dwelt, and wailing cries of children echoed sorrowfully on the stillness. It had rained the night before and the hut was damp. Under some hot ashes a little food was cooking—curved sprouts of the mamaku trees and the mauku —such coarse kinds of wild food as were eaten only in times of great scarcity. The children ceased thqir crying when they saw the girl and boy, and the old woman pointed to the fire and shook her head. "I can offer you no refreshment. See what beggarly stuff these wretched starvelings must eat." "We have brought you somo sweet potatoes," said Tiki, putting the basket at her feet. Then she recognised them as the sorcerers' children, and made to cover up the faces of her little ones lest any evil should come to them. But Tiki and Reo hastened to lay some of the kumaras in the hot embers, and were so reassuring that she sat down and muttered, "Food! Food for tho children! 1 will reward you in some way. I could havo taken food from tho shadow-of-death man, if I could have got near enough to put my magic seed m his ear." "Tell us about it, old mother," said Tiki. "Something must be done to alter things, and quickly, too." (To be> continued)