The
flower groweth up and the flower fadeth away. This may be very
clever of the gods. Man groweth from his infancy, and in a while
he dieth. This may be very clever too.
"But the gods play with a strange scheme.
"I will send jests into the world and a little mirth. And while
Death seems to thee as far away as the purple rim of hills; or
sorrow as far off as rain in the blue days of summer, then pray to
Limpang-Tung. But when thou growest old, or ere thou diest, pray
not of Limpang-Tung, for thou becomest part of a scheme that he
doth not understand.
"Go out into the starry night, and Limpang-Tung will dance with
thee who danced since the gods were young, the god of mirth and of
melodious minstrels. Or offer up a jest to Limpang-Tung; only pray
not in thy sorrow to Limpang-Tung, for he saith of sorrow: 'It may
be very clever of the gods,' but he doth not understand."
And Limpang-Tung said: "I am lesser than the gods; pray,
therefore, to the small gods and not to Limpang-Tung.
"Natheless between Pegana and the Earth flutter ten thousand
thousand prayers that beat their wings against the face of Death,
and never for one of them hath the hand of the Striker been
stayed, nor yet have tarried the feet of the Relentless One.
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