gods, for thou art their god; their own blessing is vain and their
help is naught: if they cannot help themselves, how should they help
thee or bless me?" But he was very angry with me for speaking
lightly of his gods.

Then I went out of the house, and after a while my father called me
and said, "Gather up the chips of the fig-wood wherewith I was
making gods before you came in, and see about preparing dinner."

And as I was doing so, I found a little god lying among the straw and
the rubbish, and on his forehead was written: "The god Barisat." So I
kept him, and did not tell my father; and when I had kindled the fire
to cook the dinner, and was going out to fetch the food, I set
Barisat down in front of the fire and said to him, "Barisat, take
care that the fire does not go out before I come back; and if it
does, blow upon it and revive it." Then I went out and did my errand,
and when I returned I found Barisat fallen over backwards, and his
feet were in the fire and were badly burnt; and I laughed to myself
and said, "You are in truth a good fireman and cook, Barisat." Just
then the fire caught upon his body and burnt him all up.

When the time was come, I brought food to my father and he ate, and I
gave him wine and milk and he drank, and rejoiced and praised his god
Marumath; and I said, "Father, you should not praise Marumath, but
rather Barisat, for he has done more for you: he has thrown himself
into the fire to cook your dinner." "And where is he now?" said my
father. "He has been burnt to ashes," I said, "in the heat of the
fire, and nothing but dust is left of him." And my father said,
"Great is the strength of Barisat! I will make another one to-day,
and he shall prepare my food for me to-morrow." Now when I heard my