Wassamo set about the work at once and soon had his great kettle swung upon its branch, while the cousin lay at his ease upon the other side of the fire.
"Cousin," Said Wassamo, "tell me stories or sing me some love-songs."
The cousin obeyed, and sang his plaintive songs, frequently breaking off in the midst of a mournful chant to recite a mirthful story, then in the midst of Wassamo's laughter returning to the plaintive ditty—just as it suited his fancy; for Netawis was gay of spirit and shifted his humor faster than the fleecy clouds that appeared and disappeared in the night-sky over their heads. In this changeful pastime the cousin ran his length and then fell away into a silvery sleep, murmuring parts of his song or story, while the moon glided through the branches and gilded his face as though she were enamored of his fair looks.
Wassamo in the meanwhile had lost the sound of his cousin's voice in the rich simmer of the kettle; and when its music pleased his ear the most, as announcing that the fish were handsomely cooked, he lifted the kettle from the fire. He spoke to his cousin, but he received no answer.
He went on with his housekeeping alone and took the wooden ladle and skimmed the kettle neatly, for the fish were very plump and fat. But he had a torch of twisted hark in one hand to give light, and when he came to take out the fish, there was no one to have charge of the torch.
The cousin was so happy in his sleep, with the silver moon kissing his cheeks, that Wassamo had not the heart to call him up.
Binding his girdle upon his brow, in this he thrust the torch and went forward to prepare the evening meal with the light dancing through the green leaves at every turn of his head.
He again spoke to his cousin, but gently, to learn whether he was in truth asleep. The cousin murmured, but made no reply; and Wassamo stepped softly about with the dancing fire-plume lighting up the gloom of the forest at every turn he made.
Suddenly he heard a laugh. It was double, or the one must be the perfect echo of the other. To Wassamo there appeared to be two persons at no great distance.
"Cousin," said Wassamo, "some person is near us. I hear a laugh; awake and let us look out!"