THE SWEET-SCENTED NAME
dweller on the other side of the river Mairure have the appearance of a beast? What does the devourer of our young ones demand of us? Do we not know that he wants living flesh and blood? We know he does not roast his meat or smoke it or salt it, but just devours it live. But how do we know that he needs flesh that is human? If we build him as fine a place as that which was given the beast in the Emperor's menagerie, will he not bless our work? Perhaps when we have built a palace for him he will change his desires and prefer to be fed with living calf or lamb."
The young men and the girls welcomed this speech with wild shouts and exclamations.
"Let us build a palace," said they.
The more foolish even dared to say, "Build him rather a cage and drive him into it. He has lived on our loveliest long enough." These were very stupid young ones truly, for they thought that life was the greatest blessing.
But in vain did the wise and aged strive to restrain the people in the faith of their forefathers; in vain did they try and save them from the fearful act. Alack! Even the aged, many of them, were won over to
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