The Gods of Pegana | Page 3

down Death
among the beasts, but could not stamp them out.
A million years passed over the second game of the gods, and still it
was the Middle of Time.
And Kib grew weary of the second game, and raised his hand in the
Middle of All, making the sign of Kib, and made Men: out of beasts he
made them, and Earth was covered with Men.
Then the gods feared greatly for the Secret of the gods, and set a veil
between Man and his ignorance that he might not understand. And
Mung was busy among Men.
But when the other gods saw Kib playing his new game They came and
played it too. And this They will play until MANA arises to rebuke
Them, saying: "What do ye playing with Worlds and Suns and Men

and Life and Death?" And They shall be ashamed of Their playing in
the hour of the laughter of MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI.
It was Kib who first broke the Silence of Pegana, by speaking with his
mouth like a man.
And all the other gods were angry with Kib that he had spoken with his
mouth.
And there was no longer silence in Pegana or the Worlds.

THE CHAUNT OF THE GODS
There came the voice of the gods singing the chaunt of the gods,
singing: "We are the gods; We are the little games of
MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI that he hath played and hath forgotten.
"MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI hath made us, and We made the Worlds and
the Suns.
"And We play with the Worlds and the Sun and Life and Death until
MANA arises to rebuke us, saying: 'What do ye playing with Worlds
and Suns?'
"It is a very serious thing that there be Worlds and Suns, and yet most
withering is the laughter of MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI.
"And when he arises from resting at the Last, and laughs at us for
playing with Worlds and Suns, We will hastily put them behind us, and
there shall be Worlds no more."

THE SAYINGS OF KIB
(Sender of Life in all the Worlds)
Kib said: "I am Kib. I am none other than Kib."
Kib is Kib. Kib is he and no other. Believe! Kib said: "When Time was
early, when Time was very early indeed--there was only
MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI. MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI was before the
beginning of the gods, and shall be after their going."
And Kib said: "After the going of the gods there will be no small
worlds nor big."
Kib said: "It will be lonely for MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI."
Because this is written, believe! For is it not written, or are you greater
than Kib? Kib is Kib.

CONCERNING SISH
(The Destroyer of Hours)
Time is the hound of Sish.
At Sish's bidding do the hours run before him as he goeth upon his
way.
Never hath Sish stepped backward nor ever hath he tarried; never hath
he relented to the things that once he knew nor turned to them again.
Before Sish is Kib, and behind him goeth Mung.
Very pleasant are all things before the face of Sish, but behind him they
are withered and old.
And Sish goeth ceaselessly upon his way.
Once the gods walked upon Earth as men walk and spake with their
mouths like Men. That was in Wornath-Mavai. They walk not now.
And Wornath-Mavai was a garden fairer than all the gardens upon
Earth.
Kib was propitious, and Mung raised not his hand against it, neither did
Sish assail it with his hours.
Wornath-Mavai lieth in a valley and looketh towards the south, and on
the slopes of it Sish rested among the flowers when Sish was young.
Thence Sish went forth into the world to destroy its cities, and to
provoke his hours to assail all things, and to batter against them with
the rust and with the dust.
And Time, which is the hound of Sish, devoured all things; and Sish
sent up the ivy and fostered weeds, and dust fell from the hand of Sish
and covered stately things. Only the valley where Sish rested when he
and Time were young did Sish not provoke his hours to assail.
There he restrained his old hound Time, and at its borders Mung
withheld his footsteps.
Wornath-Mavai still lieth looking towards the south, a garden among
gardens, and still the flowers grow about its slopes as they grew when
the gods were young; and even the butterflies live in Wornath-Mavai
still. For the minds of the gods relent towards their earliest memories,
who relent not otherwise at all.
Wornath-Mavai still lieth looking towards the south; but if thou
shouldst ever find it thou art then more fortunate than the gods, because
they walk not in Wornath-Mavai now.
Once did the prophet think that he discerned it in the distance beyond

mountains, a garden