Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 170: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

160 mosquitoes. The old man ceased and re- lapsed igto immobility. “Well, well? What is it?” Ali was undoubtedly in a state of excite- ment indicated by a slight half-tone raise in the timbre of his voice, “These peoples have, as you know, Doctor, been much influenced by the in- cursions of my own people. They were at one remote period the storehouse of our slaves, although in these days of your exquisite civilization one is compelled to take tribute in the form of merchandise only. I desire to point out that our ancient truths have influenced even these savages.” “You have,” interrupted the doctor dryly. ‘“Geton.” “The Occidental are not the ways of the Oriental js “Ali, shut up and get along with the yarn!”’ “T hasten to obey, Doctor. I desire to state that these savages have confused an ancient philosophy with their own ig- norant superstitions.” What is the super- “Never mind that. stition?”’ “As you will doubtless have read or learned, Doctor, each of these peoples have, with scarcely any exception, a belief in the spirits of the trees and the rivers. The correct word flees from me.” “Animism.” “Thank you, Doctof. in this case they have confused “Confound it,’ grumbled Herdwether, “never mind that!” “They, as I wish to express, believe in the spirits of the wood and the plants. They have, tWe priest tells me, here a Animism. But 2? sacred and holy tree, which is the mother— I desire to express that it is the mother.” “Well, you have. What about it?” “Because all other trees are male.”’ .“The devil they are! Trees havé sex as well as anybody else.”’ “Indeed true words as your exquisite education has taught me. But not with these peoples. It is that I wish to express that they have confused their superstition with the truths of my peoples, the Berbers. As may and yet may not be known to you, Doctor, the Berbers of the Atlas before the coming of the true believers——” “Meaning your crowd, eh?” “Indeed surely, Doctor. The Berbers, I may state, had faith in the mother of the Adventure universe, the sun, which is, admirable logic, the source of heat and there- fore of all things and therefore was fecund a therefore was a female, the mother of “What the devil’s that got to do with this ju-ju idol?” “THERE is no idol, Doctor. It is a tree,” “What?’’ “Truly indeed what, Doctor. The priest here informs that the mother tree depends quite, and undoubtedly logicall from their point of view, the crops and that is grown and therefore their alimen- tation.” “Ves, yes, the old idea from Jack in the Green to the Flamen Dialis. Well?” “And therefore, with exquisite logic, that it is necessary for the tree to be fertilized and therefore to be married. At the first moon of the sowing, which is close unto us now, is the ceremony of the marriage of the magic tree.” “Married? To whom?” “To whom the sacred tree is married I can not say. Such is without doubt as in all religions a matter forbidden to infidels and the ignorant.” = “Well, buy the information then.” “Tt is not possible to buy faith. With one thousand pardons I will express myself for the reason of my excitement,”’ replied Ali as coldly as the liturgy. “According to my way of thinking, the priest is most friendly disposed toward us. Indeed, he has invited—even more in the limits of his language—he has prayed that we stop to see the ceremony of the marriage of the sacred tree.” “Um. Um,” mumbled the doctor, scratching a mosquito-bite on his left ear. “But do they usually invite strangers to witness these sacred mtes?” “Undoubtedly not. Undoubtedly not, Doctor. That is also one reason for the state of excitement in which you see me.” “Um. Um.” The red eye of the doctor’s familiar glared ferociously at the carven image in ebony by the dull embers. The throb of the drum pulsed steadily. “It appears to me that there must be a reason behind the‘invitation. What canit be? Is it money? I mean more presents? Yet they’ve been most unusually lavish already, haven’t they?” 5 a“ comicbooks.com ~