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Page 26
7. The Great Battle Between Good and Evil
Ak listened gravely to the recital of Claus, stroking his beard the
while with the slow, graceful motion that betokened deep thought. He
nodded approvingly when Claus told how the Knooks and Fairies had
saved him from death, and frowned when he heard how the Awgwas had
stolen the children's toys. At last he said:
"From the beginning I have approved the work you are doing among the
children of men, and it annoys me that your good deeds should be
thwarted by the Awgwas. We immortals have no connection whatever with
the evil creatures who have attacked you. Always have we avoided
them, and they, in turn, have hitherto taken care not to cross our
pathway. But in this matter I find they have interfered with one of
our friends, and I will ask them to abandon their persecutions, as you
are under our protection."
Claus thanked the Master Woodsman most gratefully and returned to his
Valley, while Ak, who never delayed carrying out his promises, at once
traveled to the mountains of the Awgwas.
There, standing on the bare rocks, he called on the King and his
people to appear.
Instantly the place was filled with throngs of the scowling Awgwas,
and their King, perching himself on a point of rock, demanded fiercely:
"Who dares call on us?"
"It is I, the Master Woodsman of the World," responded Ak.
"Here are no forests for you to claim," cried the King, angrily.
"We owe no allegiance to you, nor to any immortal!"
"That is true," replied Ak, calmly. "Yet you have ventured to
interfere with the actions of Claus, who dwells in the Laughing Valley,
and is under our protection."
Many of the Awgwas began muttering at this speech, and their King
turned threateningly on the Master Woodsman.
"You are set to rule the forests, but the plains and the valleys are
ours!" he shouted. "Keep to your own dark woods! We will do as we
please with Claus."
"You shall not harm our friend in any way!" replied Ak.
"Shall we not?" asked the King, impudently. "You will see! Our
powers are vastly superior to those of mortals, and fully as great as
those of immortals."
"It is your conceit that misleads you!" said Ak, sternly. "You are a
transient race, passing from life into nothingness. We, who live
forever, pity but despise you. On earth you are scorned by all, and
in Heaven you have no place! Even the mortals, after their earth
life, enter another existence for all time, and so are your superiors.
How then dare you, who are neither mortal nor immortal, refuse to
obey my wish?"
The Awgwas sprang to their feet with menacing gestures, but their King
motioned them back.
"Never before," he cried to Ak, while his voice trembled with rage,
"has an immortal declared himself the master of the Awgwas! Never
shall an immortal venture to interfere with our actions again! For we
will avenge your scornful words by killing your friend Claus within
three days. Nor you, nor all the immortals can save him from our
wrath. We defy your powers! Begone, Master Woodsman of the World!
In the country of the Awgwas you have no place."
"It is war!" declared Ak, with flashing eyes.
"It is war!" returned the King, savagely. "In three days your friend
will be dead."
The Master turned away and came to his Forest of Burzee, where he
called a meeting of the immortals and told them of the defiance of the
Awgwas and their purpose to kill Claus within three days.
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