THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the...

8
!SI THE XXth CENTURY t.he battle. Attacks by the British against the lower Rhine I\nd by the 3rd U8 Army between Trier Qnd the upper Roor were co·ordinated with the main thrust. By the middle of l\'1ur h the Allics hud oecupit..'<1 Ihe te.rritorv west of the lower and middlo Rhine 08 far south 08 the Moselle River-with the x eption oC the Koblem: arlm-and had crossed the Rhine at Remag n. Thill advance compelled the Gomlwls to withdraw their largo bulge bel,woen tho Saur t1J1d the Rhine. which hAd hold out long time agninst the ntt""ks of tho 7th US Army. On March 25 tho last Gormall formatioll8 in this aren Cought thoir way back aero. 9 the Rhino llOulh of poyer. The battlo entored 1\ now ph6&) with the widening of the Romugen bridg head and tho br akthrough to tho Sieg Hiv r /Lud inl.o the Lahn \11\110)'. This t\lI!Illlllt started on March 20 Wid was Collowed four days latm' by Alliod 'rossinga of the Hhine on its lower roacbOll. EAST or nJ:E RJlll\"E Looking baok at the 011 tllO Wcstern Front. we observe 0. striking difference uotwcon the ovonts west and those eaBt of tho Rhine. Until U,O\' reaehed the Rhin the AlliOll had to fight LoiLtcr and Loloody battles for very square mile of GcrmlW soil. and the wore e\'on able to push them Louck telll' porarily in tllO Rundlltedt offcllBi,·c. Whene"er the Allitl8 had munagod to pllSS on to mobil w... lUlU to make largor territorial gains 11t lL quicker pace, they soon found tholl1861 ves bogged down by now d.efense linotl. But onco Kcroas the Rhine th ir ad,'ance a56Umed Blitzkrieg proportiollB. What had Had the Oerll1lLn Army flnully cracked? The Allioll t.hemselv616 do not 800m to think 110. Th"il' own reports continued to be full of refer noes to "Canatical rosistane .. on tho part of tho G rm8ll8. But t,ho gapB botwoen the cont!'r8 of Gorman reo sistance wero so large that the Alli08 could, by by. pl\l!Sitlf.( t hem, mo\'o almost. 88 fM! M t.h Y ould orguniz.o their supply lines. Only aIter the war will we know tho true roason why there were so fow G man troops east of tho R,hiue to moot tho Allied on· slaught.. The Soviets clnim toO know it already. And porhap!l they Bre right. In tho }('ras'laya of April 4, 1945. G. 1\ lending Bolshevik, wrote that since lho ond f Jnnullry 10·j- Iho G nnltn Iwd mo\'ed 44 di\'isions to thei'r front. 1Il1lin'" Crom the west.. He assertoo tllUt, "by mo\'ing larg'" I ro p oontingent,s to the SO\'iet·Gorlllan front, the GCl'mun High Commnnu left its western front without a seriou8 dofeuse." In addition it seOmB thllt tho ceasell'8l1 bombardment of Gemllul armament plnnl.tl and the loss of important industrial aroM had redueed tho quantity of arms aVlliJable to the GCrIDl\1l8 to such un ox tent t.hut an offective d 'fcn80 became impossible. Our mup shows 1,110 rapidity ot the Anglo·AmericlL" advunce. By the middlo of April tho Elbo was rULl 'hod in a number of plac . The junction with t·he ::io\'i t{! was alleded on April 25. Not 8huwn 011 Iho mup aro tho nUlOl'rous n 18 of resilltunco which held Ollt behilld "he AJJied lIurg' except the large!;t of them, ill lito Ruhr area-, wl\ioh tied dvwll !lome eighteon Anglo.American divisions for (\ considerable timo - clinging to individual tOWlltl. vilJog ,IUld road cro&!ings, while small mobile detach. mOIlW:l did their utmost to attack and disrupt anomy supply columns. Yet on the \Vestern Front. too, tlte end Wll in sight. THE RAINMAKER By HERM.Al\TN HESSE Hermann now cllUe on one of Germany's Uading author,. E"er ,"'Ica he wrola h;'" novel more than forly ytar8 ago, Jill h04 "un 81"'901ing wilh Ihe problcn14 of human cJaaracle" and u:W. thc quution lUI 10 wAal piau w taken by tho human milld in Iha u.lliverst. A !fror ago h;'" work tL'OB publi.6hul, .. Tha Bead Game." a novel in two t:IOlutl'u. .1neJ'ii.tkci :in u are tArea NlOrl the jirst oj whicJa we pre8ent .hc,r, m a ccndeTl8ed tran.slalian. IT was many thollAAnrl years IIgo, and the wo ill\: 0 were in power: in tribo and family it was tho mother and grandmother who commanded von· eration ami 000- dillnce; when chilo dr n were born, girls were much more highly prized than boye. In tho village th ro was a great. grandmother who must have been a hundred years old or more, rovered a.nd feared by all as a queen, although, as long as people could remember, he had but rarely lifted a ling r or spoken 1\ word. Many a. day she sat in front of the entrance to her hut, surrounded by a suite of attendant relatives, and the women of the village cn..me to pay her homage, to teU her of their affair, to !lhow her their children for them lo be blc's(,'d; pregnant women came and begged that she might touch them and pro\'ide a namo for what thoy were cxpccting. In Lho eveni.ngs there sat in front of the matriarch's mud hut not sho herself but her daughter, hardly les5 white aDd dignifi d nor much less aged tha.n the great.grandmother. From her mouth there flowed the source of knowlodge; sho proserved the treasure of the tribe undor her white hair, behind her gently wrinkled brow lived the memories and the spirit of the settlement. If anyone had knowl· edge Ilnd knew proverbs or stories. he had them from her. Besido her and the ancient ono thero was only one more initio.tcd person in the tribe; but he remained more hidden, a mysterious and very taciturn man, the weather· or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the village at those times when b ha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbi happened when a long period of drought, wet, or cold laid siege to the fields llnd threatened the tribe with famine. Then Turu, the rain-

Transcript of THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the...

Page 1: THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the village at those times when b ha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbi happened

!SI THE XXth CENTURY

t.he battle. Attacks by the British against the lowerRhine I\nd by the 3rd U8 Army between Trier Qndthe upper Roor were co·ordinated with the main thrust.By the middle of l\'1ur h the Allics hud oecupit..'<1 Ihete.rritorv west of the lower and middlo Rhine 08 farsouth 08 the Moselle River-with the x eption oC theKoblem: arlm-and had crossed the Rhine at Remag n.Thill advance compelled the Gomlwls to withdrawtheir largo bulge bel,woen tho Saur t1J1d the Rhine.which hAd hold out I~ long time agninst the ntt""ksof tho 7th US Army. On March 25 tho last Gormallformatioll8 in this aren Cought thoir way back aero. 9

the Rhino llOulh of poyer.The battlo entored 1\ now ph6&) with the widening

of the Romugen bridg head and tho br akthrough totho Sieg Hiv r /Lud inl.o the Lahn \11\110)'. This t\lI!Illllltstarted on March 20 Wid was Collowed four days latm'by Alliod 'rossinga of the Hhine on its lowerroacbOll.

EAST or nJ:E RJlll\"E

Looking baok at the fl~hting 011 tllO Wcstern Front.we observe 0. striking difference uotwcon the ovontswest and those eaBt of tho Rhine. Until U,O\' reaehedthe Rhin • the AlliOll had to fight LoiLtcr and Loloodybattles for very square mile of GcrmlW soil. and the~rmaml wore e\'on able to push them Louck telll'porarily in tllO Rundlltedt offcllBi,·c. Whene"er theAllitl8 had munagod to pllSS on to mobil w...rfal'~ lUlU

to make largor territorial gains 11t lL quicker pace,they soon found tholl1861 ves bogged down by nowd.efense linotl. But onco Kcroas the Rhine th ir ad,'ancea56Umed Blitzkrieg proportiollB. What had hal'pened~

Had the Oerll1lLn Army flnully cracked? The Alliollt.hemselv616 do not 800m to think 110. Th"il' own

reports continued to be full of refer noes to "Canaticalrosistane .. on tho part of tho G rm8ll8.

But t,ho gapB botwoen the cont!'r8 of Gorman reosistance wero so large that the Alli08 could, by by.pl\l!Sitlf.( t hem, mo\'o almost. 88 fM! M t.h Y ouldorguniz.o their supply lines. Only aIter the war willwe know tho true roason why there were so fow G r·man troops east of tho R,hiue to moot tho Allied on·slaught.. The Soviets clnim toO know it already. Andporhap!l they Bre right. In tho }('ras'laya ZV~t1)(/ ofApril 4, 1945. G. Alek!~androv, 1\ lending Bolshevik,wrote that since lho ond f Jnnullry 10·j- Iho G nnltnIwd mo\'ed 44 di\'isions to thei'r ~tcrn front. 1Il1lin'"Crom the west.. He assertoo tllUt, "by mo\'ing larg'"I ro p oontingent,s to the SO\'iet·Gorlllan front, theGCl'mun High Commnnu left its western front withouta seriou8 dofeuse." In addition it seOmB thllt thoceasell'8l1 bombardment of Gemllul armament plnnl.tland the loss of important industrial aroM hadredueed tho quantity of arms aVlliJable to theGCrIDl\1l8 to such un oxtent t.hut an offective d 'fcn80became impossible.

Our mup shows 1,110 rapidity ot the Anglo·AmericlL"advunce. By the middlo of April tho Elbo was rULl 'hodin a number of plac . The junction with t·he ::io\'i t{!was alleded on April 25.

Not 8huwn 011 Iho mup aro tho nUlOl'rous n 18 ofresilltunco which held Ollt behilld "he AJJied lIurg'except the large!;t of them, ill lito Ruhr area-, wl\iohtied dvwll !lome eighteon Anglo.American divisions for(\ considerable timo - clinging to individual tOWlltl.vilJog ,IUld road cro&!ings, while small mobile detach.mOIlW:l did their utmost to attack and disrupt anomysupply columns. Yet on the \Vestern Front. too, tlteend Wll in sight.

THE RAINMAKERBy HERM.Al\TN HESSE

Hermann Ht~~e. now cllUe on ~evmty, i~ one of Germany's Uadingauthor,. E"er ,"'Ica he wrola h;'" fir~t novel more than forly ytar8 ago, Jill h04"un 81"'901ing wilh Ihe problcn14 of human cJaaracle" and u:W. thc quution lUI 10wAal piau w taken by tho human milld in Iha u.lliverst. A !fror ago h;'" ~Iwork tL'OB publi.6hul, .. Tha Bead Game." a novel in two t:IOlutl'u. .1neJ'ii.tkci :inu are tArea NlOrl ~torju. the jirst oj whicJa we pre8ent .hc,r, m a ccndeTl8edtran.slalian.

IT was manythollAAnrl yearsIIgo, and thewo ill\: 0 were inpower: in triboand family it wastho mother andgrandmother whocommanded von·eration ami 000­dillnce; when chilodr n were born,

girls were much more highly prized than boye.In tho village th ro was a great.grandmother

who must have been a hundred years old ormore, rovered a.nd feared by all as a queen,although, as long as people could remember,he had but rarely lifted a ling r or spoken 1\

word. Many a. day she sat in front of theentrance to her hut, surrounded by a suite ofattendant relatives, and the women of thevillage cn..me to pay her homage, to teU herof their affair, to !lhow her their children for

them lo be blc's(,'d; pregnant women came andbegged that she might touch them and pro\'idea namo for what thoy were cxpccting.

In Lho eveni.ngs there sat in front of thematriarch's mud hut not sho herself but herdaughter, hardly les5 white aDd dignifi d normuch less aged tha.n the great.grandmother.From her mouth there flowed the source ofknowlodge; sho proserved the treasure of thetribe undor her white hair, behind her gentlywrinkled brow lived the memories and thespirit of the settlement. If anyone had knowl·edge Ilnd knew proverbs or stories. he had themfrom her. Besido her and the ancient onothero was only one more initio.tcd person inthe tribe; but he remained more hidden, amysterious and very taciturn man, the weather·or rainmaker. He became the mo I, importantperson in the village at those times when bha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbihappened when a long period of drought, wet,or cold laid siege to the fields llnd threatenedthe tribe with famine. Then Turu, the rain-

Page 2: THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the village at those times when b ha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbi happened

THE RAl~"MAKER 2 3

milker, had to apply means known againHtdryn 'S;; and scan;ity of crops: sacrifices, exor­ei'Llls, I"'oec ·~illn.. Jr. i1l1l stubborn drou ht, orf'llllle;.os rain. all uther methods failet! ant! thespirit:; were not to be moved by any pcr,;uasion,supplicatiou, or thrcnt,s. thcrl' \\'ali, according toIcgend, one last, i1lfalliIJIc means, whidl was"uppused to hanJ bc('n employed now nnd againin the dltys of Illothers and grandmother: thes:lerifil:ing of the wcathermaker himself by thecUllll1lllnit,y. The mat,riurch, it was said, hndstill witnC'ssed neh III I eveut,.

:\ luong the listeners there also erouched thehoy Kllecht and be. ide him It little girl, ealll·JAda. He likeJ t,his child Ilnd often Il('companied:lIld protectpd her. not out, of n fedin!! uf l"vt:really-he did not know anyt hing ;tbou!. thatvI'!. he WllS "till n. child himself-uut l'eel1u"l'~II(' was the daughter of t h(' rainmaker. Furhim. tho rainlllakl:'r, Knecht felt grl'nt VelH'l'Il­tiun alld urlllliratilJll, Tl('xl III till' great,grand­muther Ilnu ht'l' daught('r for nu one as 1Il11t'II

as for him. Xow the wentherllluker WrlS "

fat,her IInappl'of\('hrtlJI", man, it was not easy furII hoy to ~et duse to him: oIll' had to lI"e cir,cuitou routC'", nnd (,nt' of 1hI: cireuit,ous I'outl'~

t,o thc w('athl'nnll!;,'r was 1\:I\I'cht',; CUllf'l'rn furhis child, As uft('n a::; he cOlllel. hp fetehed h('l'(rum the w athernHlker's but, \l'hil'll lay FllnH'way ofJ, to sit with her in thc ('\'ening ill fronlof t,he old wonmn's hut and liskll to the storie~.

Il nd then took hel' home again.Turu responned to the boy's advances wit,h

very sparing :stlPS, he did not make it easy forhim. But the youngster was always aft.er him.~ometime Turu growled and ungraciously :senthis pur 'uer on bis wa,y; sometimeli, however, hebeckoned him and kept him at hi.' side t,hrough­(lut 1he day, letting himscli be served by him,showing him tbis and that" letting him gue 's,tes ing him, tclling him the names of herbs,ordering him to fetch wakr or uuild It fire,and for (',,'eryt,hill e, he did he hnd ecrtain knacks,Becr ts. formulas, which the boy was lIdjuredto keep seerrt,. And finally. when Kncdl1 wasf\, little older, he krpt him entirely at hi." F irlf',acknowledging him afl his di, ciplo and fet/'hinf!him from t,ho boys' sleeping hOlllie t,o live inhis own hilt. This marked Knecht opp.nly inthe eye of all tho people: he was no longl'f nboy, he wus a disciple of the weathermaker,and tbat meant that., if he stuck it and proveda.ny good, he would become his successor.

A wpalth of traditions lind e-'"periene,', allInankind's knowledge of nat,ure, had not, onlyIn be maintained and applied but abu (Hlsspd(,n, A grent., closdy knit .'Ylitell1 of expe['i 'nec:;,(Jbl;l'rvat.ions, in~tinets. llnd rri<eareh methodsslow Iy dllwned upon the yOllth, almost not hill).!of it fixed in terms. almo·t en~rytbing huvingt,o be sensed, learned, testeu,

Oue hour u cply engraved it eli in Knecht smemory, un hour between night and morning,when bis moster hud woken bim two hours

after midnight and bud gone lit witb him atdead of night to show him th la' risir,g tlf adwindling cre.. ·ent. There tlwy waittd. theruastrr in silent ilUmolJility, the YOllth slightlynpprehellsive and shi\Oering: from Inck of sleep,in the midst f 1,he wooded hills on it jlltt.ingslab of rock, for a 1011(' time, until at tl1(' pin '('pl'C'viou:;ly indicated by the muster and ill 1heshnpe and Hngle prc,-i H,'I}' c1escri cd I,y him,the thin moun appeared, a deli 'all', CUI'\'l'd linc.In awed elldlUlltlUent, 1\:,wcht sturlll at tilt;slnwly ri'ing celestinl uody; bd we("11 d udl''''ip.~es it geutl), Jlualt:u lip in II dpllr hea\'l'llIyisland.

":-;OUII ~he will change )1('1' shape and "\\'f'llngain. then the time will C(IIne to "OW tl p

hll('kwhellt," l:illiu till' I'llinlllakl'r, counting OuLthl' dllYs Oil hi:; finger:;. Thcn hI' snnk IJacki" I,u II i::; fOl'lllef silence; us if left n Iqu I, llr('h t,crullelil'd on the rock :;hinin)! with tll'\\' rind"hi\'('ITd in t.he eold nil'; frolll tlil' cI,'pth" uf till'fl)I'l,~t 11 lUllg-dmwu bout, nf an u\\'l I'(,se IIf'.Fur n lung t inlL' t Ilc old nlUlI pUlldel'ed. 1he nhe gilt lip, plal'l'tl hi::; hand loll J\nceht'" hiliI',Hlld ° "aid softlv, a::< if ill a dream: "\\'IIl'n 1alll dead. Ill)' s'pirit will liy 10 the I11UOII. TIIl'n\'vll will h(J a man lind yOIl will ha\"(~ a wife,;nv dall!!htl'l' Ada will hI' 'yollr wif<:. If she hail;1 '''(In ft:OIll you, Illy spir(t will rct Ufn II "I li\'('in yuur 'on, and you will 1I111n(' him Till'll. III

[ was called Turu."Till' disciple li:;L<:nl'd witll 1I1Il1lZ'Dll"nt, lil'

du/'(·d not sa\' a word. the 'liill sih-el' erf'H'entrose and was' alread,\' lwlJ swullnwcd np b~' th,...douds. ThE' yUllng l1"Ian felt u m~'SII'l'ioli

inkling of relat,ions nnd connect ion,', rl'pel,iti n"alld ero'sings, among things and t \'l'nL'; he felthim, elf mystcriou 'I} placed a~ " ~Il/'cator andalso H a pllfticipant before Llii~ sir;lnge nightlSkv whpro over t.lw ('ndless for'F-I;, rlnd hill:ithe, i<harp t,hin siekl' had nppcarrcl l'Xlll Iy III'

predict.ed by the ma 'Ler; wondr liS \\t:. 11lemai,tcr in his eyes and enveloped in a t 11l.Iu'Hnds eret.., lie who t.hough t, of hi~ own l!t nth. I.E'whose ::<pirit would tarry in 1he moun and 1",

Iurn from the mo n to [I human being \l'hllwould be Knecht's son al:d was tu bear til('rh'f'ased master's naJlle. .'1\':t riom;l v ['enta"lInder, and in par S Il'lln"·Jlili"'·nt. I(k, the('loud\, sl,,·. ~I'l'lIlld the flltllr/', sl'l'lli(d fat' tolil' b~'f(lre' him. and tIll' faet tltat ('Ill' l'oll1dkllllW ahout theJ11. nlme thelLl. al«1 ~jJCl\h

ahont l1H'Ill, " emed to him bkC' a \'ista ofelldll'F-S space filled with wondl'rs alld yet, fullof ol'del'. For all in, j allL l'n:rythillg seem d toliim within tlie grasp of Ihe ::<piri1, of th mind,of the po\\'er,; of observatiun, thc silent. IllluTingcOllrse uf tlil' hl'll'" lly hodie" al,o\'L', th > life oflUen and of animals. tllcil' communities lindcnmities, 'Ill' llliter' and ,'1 fuggk". c\'crytbulgbig and small as w'l1 a'i the denl h cOlltui I'din lllllife, all this he saw or f ·11, in a tir;;t shudu rof presentiment, as lL whole, und himseU in­cluded ill it in hi· proper place a~ a paTt of a.

Page 3: THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the village at those times when b ha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbi happened

28. THE XXtb CENTURY

Hvster,n, ruled bv laws and aceeti­. rble to the mint!. It ~as the fir I,precognition of the great cerels,of t·heir dignit,y and depth us wella their knowableness. whichbrushed the youth like a spectralhand in this fore I, coolness be­t ween nighL and morning on therock over the thousancl whisperingt·r etops.

For Knecht it was the first timel.hut he became aware of the voice of the mind.its enticement, its demand, its magic wooing.:\lany a moon had he seen wandering acrossthe sky, mlCl many an owl hooting had he heardat night, aml from the month of his master,taciturn as he was, he had hearel many It worduf ancient wisdom or lonely meditation-in thepresent hOllr, however, it was new and dif·fpren(" it was t.he presentiment of lho wholewhich hael st.J'll(.:k him, the fetlillg for relat,ion:llIlHl cOllncctiOll!", for the f:lystem which includedhimself and made him core ·pollsible. He whohad the key to this should be able not only torecognize an animal by its tracks, a plant byits roots or !'ired, he should be able t·o graspthe whole of the world, t·he till", the spirits,the people, t.he animals, remedies and poisons.everything in it.s entirety, and be able to readfrom any purl, 01' sign every other part. Therewere good hlllltt'lTIcn who could recognize morethan others from a track, a dropping, from ahair or trace: from a few tiny hairs they couldtell not only from what kind of animal the."eamo but al. 0 whether it was old ur young.male or fp.Hlnle. Others could, from u cloudformation, from a smell in t.be a.il' , from It

eertnin behM'ior of animals or plautll, tell whatthe weather would be for days in advance; hismast!'!' WA.." llnl11f1t.r-hed in t.hif< and almost in­fallible. Otbers again bad some innate skill:there were boy:> who were alJle to hit 11 birdwith n. stone at thu·ty puee~, they had notlearned it, thl?y could simply du it., it was notthe rOf:llIlt of ollsciotHl effort but of mugic or<;trace, t.he ·tone in their hand fle\I' hy itsell,t,he stone wanLed to hit, amI tho lJird wantedto be hit. There must., so it seemed to Knecht,at that moment, be in the vast nctwork ofconnection a ccnt·cr whcncc everything couldbe known, all that had pa «cd am! all that wasto come eoukl be 'cen and read. To a mUlltanding aL this cenler, knowledge wu tHo\\'

like wate!' t,oward a valley and It harc towardIt cabbage. hi::; wurd lI1u't hit shal'ply and in·falliblv like the stonc frum the hund of thesharp~llOotc-r, by \'irtue of his intellect he mu 'I,

Ilnitc- all t.hes· nuious wonderful gifts andtalents and giH~ them free play: this would beI.he perfect, wise, matchless man! To becomelike him, to approach him, to be on the waytowa.rd him: t,hat was the path of paths, tbatwas the goal, that gave a. life consecration andmenning.

Knecht's apprc::ntieeship wanot very different from the ap­prenticeship which, for instance,a young huntsman 01' fi hermungoe through wit·h a go d rna. tel',and he enjoyed it gn'ntly, for heonly Iparned what wa already inbim. He learned to lie in wait, tolisten, to creep up, nbserve, watchlJllt be on the alert, scent undfoll~\V a track; btlt the game for

which he and his mastcr luy in wait was notonJy fox and ba.dger, otter and t.oad, bird andfish, but thc spirit,. the whole, the meaning,(,he relationship. To tell, recognize, gl1e,,~, andpr'etlict the fleeting moody weather', to knowdeath lurking in belTy and snakebite, to spyout the secret which connected the clouds andthe storm,,; wit.h the pha e. of the moon andmade (,hell! afl'eet seed and growth in the samrway as Lho prospering and ruin of human atldanimal life: that was what they weI' afte!'.They did not d ·tach them:;e!ves from natureand seek to penetrate hrr secrets by force,they never fclt opposed or hostile to nature-.were alway:; part of her and devoted to herwith reverence.

Beside Knecht. littlo Ada grew up in thehut, a pret,ty child, the old man's favorite;anti whcn (,he latter deemed the time come, hI'g~LVO hc-r to hi::; disciple as a wife,

From now 011 Knecht was regarded as therainmakcl"" Ilssi .. tant., TUI'Il introduced him tothe mother of the villacre as his son-in-law ancl"lIeee Sal' allLI t.hel'C'l\ft riel. Knecht representh'm in ::;ome of hb dntics and oflir.in.l ads.Wheu 1)(' died-he was found dead at hisIlUarl.h, crouchillg ovcr some pots with magicbrews, hi white hair sinRed by the fire-theyouug man, the disciple Knpp.ht" hfLrI alreadybeen known for a long timc in the village as arainmaker. The mast'r'::; solemn burial wasalready an a/hir of tbe distant past, t.hn oldnHLtriarch Imd bcen succeeded 1011 ngo by herdcLughkr, ~1ll0!1g Knecht'. children, of whomthere werc ..evcral to fill up Ada's sDJall hut.,there was a boy na.lI1cu Turll: into his bodyt.lle old man h~l.d returned from his deat.h'",journe~' to t,he moon. .'

Knecht wus onsidcred 11 knowl1lg and l'iOlillmu.n. a man of great calm and slight fear ofdeath, a man Oll goou terms wit h the powers-.lIe had t prove bi~ gifts and virtues in manya hard t pst. Once he had to ll::n,:; through aperiod uf bad harvest and ill-di ·po. cd weatherla ting fur more than 1,\1'0 years, it was t.lJ!'greatest te I, of his life. At that time it bat!become e\'ident that in periods of unrest andworry a l11an's usefulness' grows"the more be haslea.rned t·o revere, ob enTe, wor 'hip, serve, andsacrifice. The two terrible years, whi~11 aluJUs~

caused bi::; own sacrifice and de t,ruetion, finnllyendowed him with grea.t prestige and confiden e.although not among the irresponsible crowd,

Page 4: THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the village at those times when b ha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbi happened

THE RAINMAKER 286

,\' -t among th few who bore rc~poll ibility alldw 'rp abl to judg(' a man of his type.

1[(. had 1I1!;0 Ill',,! U ired t hf' ex rel'ienee that11l1'n of illlelled ,;olllchuw gil'e otTen'(' to theo her,' IIl1d eau c a certaill curious killd offI\'t'rl:li n IImong t,helu. that, IIlthough they lin'!'I'spect I fl'om n dj tUllp lind all '<I UpOIl ill('liSP, of Ileed th<,y arc not IUI'('u at all or rc,j.:llrdc·d II. eq:wls,' bu aI' iued. H· had alsol"lImed thnt truditional or fr 'ph- illl'ellted ill·('1111 ntiom: or f ll'lJ1lda" of exon:i>-Iu arc f\el'('ptl'df:ll' morc willingly hy siek or unfurt ullllie peopll'thllil rN\'onabh· eoun,(·I, t.hat a per;:on willrllther take rli,pornfort and olltward penit IH'('

IIJHlll hims(·lf Ihall chung· in his l1('art, or el'( II

ju" eXHmine hifl heart.. that, l)(,ol,le belin'l'11101'(' easily ill nlllgic than ill rca SOil , morel'IISil.I' ill fnrllluLI. thnn ill expf'ripnce: nil thingswhil'!\ hal'e [ll'obalily not nltcrl'd as 1l1uch illt ht· few thou,.:nnd \'l'al''' sine(' thpII as :;lllll('

hi.'tnl'\' hcwks 1I'(t1d~1 cillim, But, he had ul,.,o11"II'IlC'~1 lImt in his ,.;ean·hillg II IIlIlIl of illlplI('('1nll1,.t nol 10, e his 101'e, lhat h' rnu~t Illect lllC'wi~hf's lind stupidities of mankind wilholltllrroganr~r·. 1)11(, llIust 1I0.!, allow hilllfoi(·1f to III'

nd(·rl hy th 111. that from 111(' sag to the char·11111111, from he- prie,.:t Iu the mounteballk,frolll till; h Ipillg broth"r to the- :<!,on,gingJlllrm-litc it. is alwll." , hut n ,.,te-('. and thllt !'1'f)!'lf'

n rul would much rn Ill'l' I'a." II dl('lltrJ.nd let t hems('h'es bc ex plpi \(·d 1'.1' a rog III ,

thlln a ccpt aid rCllderpri splfks.,.ly,

~leal1\yhil he d(;','elo!X'd mal y a fa('ldty inhim>-f'lf, among thpm nlso SOIlle- which 11'1'

p<'oplf' of It IatN nge no 1011(!( I' P(l":~f'R~ anrlCRn hu \'aguc Iy under,.:t and. Th rc w I"f' II' n h·e-r . it uationR,· t. nRions in the' air nnd tpm·p rat.ure, there were clour! formations andwinds, 1.,11) s of water, ('(Irth, an J du, t ,.:m lis.th re werp Ihreat~ or prom is :'I, moods andt 'mpers of the wpatbpr dpmons. wllich J\nerhteould f el coming in his skin, hi' hnil', in nilhi senses, so that thNc \l'a nothing whiehcould surprise him nothing which cOllld di~,

a ppoint him. In consonaDce with the weath('l'he concentrated it within himself and carripdit ill his lH'lIrt in IL way which enabled him f'\)1'r:>mll1and t hp douds and winds: not" however,from arbitrar.\' pOlYpr and a will but out oft,hi I' ry ullion /llid hond which compl('t.I'lydi-;"uh'ed I.Il(' difTC'rplle(' ),pt weclI himRclf andth world. b{·twe n the spirit amI Ihe f'xte-riorenl'ironn1Pnt,. In certain pr'riodfoi of particularlypun' harmoll.I' of the ROlli, he- bore UII exaetand infallihle pre. "ience of the wf'l1th('r of th!'('oming day" within him, a, if ill hiH bloodW('ft· written thp (·lIt.irc :;pore whieh would ha\'e­10 1)(' play d ou :<irle, Tho'f' were hi-; goodand hi;; lies days. his rpward, his delight.

fn ths good timcs Ill' wa rarely seen athOIl1f'; then he roamed nnd . tuyed outside,cuu,ght fish. wen huntinll, searphed for roots.lay in the grf\.SS or crou hed in trees, ,miffed,listened, imiated the I'oice of animal, kept

lit.t1e fire bumin' und compar d the :<hup<'!S ft.he smoke clouds with tho. of Ihe clouds abo\'e,,.;o:tked his skin und hair witL mi,t" with ruin,wilh air, with sun or moonlight. II r<'ad hI'marking on a I IIf, the net·like lin atiun~ (nt1)(' cap of a. mOl'cl, and in doing :;0 he I'c'nsf'dl1lysteriOIlI', pirituul, flit ure pOf'"ilil" thin 'I".the magic of igns, pI' monition of numb '1'_ andlet,f 'rs, c:ljlflll'in~ what was endl s. and multi·form in n. simpl· :<."8t('III, in t I'm:>. For nilthe. pos ihdilies of seizing th world throllght.he lIIind IIllIst Illwe lain in him, nllm 11:>-1",1I11l1UmeJ, but no illlpo&Jible, not unimaginablr,"I ill '('ed lind bnd but rs~entilll to hilll. purtIIf him, and organil'nlly growing in him,

It WUR not gi"cn to the wentltermllk('r 10pe-rpctuat(' one of his prescntiment,.: /lnd to h'udit, do,.;er to the point of being proI' d, u proofit. hllrdly noetled fol' him, He hlCUllle lIeitllll'lin/' \.If'th(· lI1l1ny il1\'('ntor: of /lcfi].t 1Illr ofj.:l'Oliletn" nor of lIleuicine or list rOn011l I'. H f'

rCllllline;' lUI IInlolll"'l1 link in Iho \'IllIin: bul, II

link liS indi,.:pen"u ble a~ IIny other: h· pn":l'l'dlin what, he hnd re('l'i\'(·d lind added new knowl.edg-p lie had IIc/fuil'rd lind strllp; rled for, Forhe, too. hud di"ciplc" In the ('our'(' uf th('Y('lIrli hI' trained two IIjlprl'ntiee. to b' rain·Illllk('rs, OIH' (Jf whol1l later ber'1Im his :<11 'C(,"f'ol',

:--:or was the II'l'at hl'l'nw k I' . (Jared a vcrybi tN experienee- and disappoint ment in thiill1portant, pl'fhap!! the mo. t. responsible :sphl'rof hi!! Om(·C', th pa sinf( on I)f t radit ions llndtraining of ,uepp:;sorf'. The first lll'prcntirf'who s ught his fal'or and was IIl10w('d afterwlliting amI beil1l! pnt oIT fpr II lonl! lime toenter the sen'ice of thc mn;-.Ier wns e-lIl1r d ~rarn

and cnu rI him a disnppoinlment whir'h 11(' wnHnever quit.e able to get, 01'01'. lie WIlS I"CI'\'ilf'and flattering, and for long he a",.lIm·d t ht'gllise of eomplet obr'diencp, but he Inekpd thi,..and that, n hove nil hc lackcd eOllrn ~('. hl'fenre-d the night and dllrkn s,. n fad 1)(' trit'dto conceal and which ]\l1el'ht, nit Iiougil hI'noticed it, long snpposed t.o Ie (L n'llll1l1nt IIfrhildhooU which would di,.:npp('ar. Rllt it didnot di. app aI', This disciple abo (·()mpll'f.r·I~'

I:u-ked the (!tellity of abundonillg him,wlf :<t·lf·IC'!-lsl.v ulld without, ulterior m( tin'", to ob.-en'in,C',t,o th· ar-t-; nnd proee-ssc, of his ellllin~. toIhollghl,.: IIl1d intuition. Hp \\'11": el('\'('r, III'pOlllse--;sed n hrillht. quick inlellel'f., lind tll/ltwhieh can b(' learned I\'ilhou oIe\'oti 111 11('learned efl'iil \' and well. Hut it l)('cal11(' mon'and more oh~'i()us t hilt 11<' hnd :<1'111,,11 intl'nt iOI1 ...and aims for t hI' "akf' flf 1\ l,ieh lip wlIl1t·d ()learn rniI1JJlllkin~. \rhat lit· lIantL-d mlln' thlln;Ll1~·thil1g else W'IlS prestigr', to pillY a pHrt alldimpr . people, hI' hud till' \'anity of 1I I'crH\11of t.alent 1m no palling,

](n cht wa. rp('oJ1)p~n~ed by his two Intprdisciple, particularly by thc . 1"0l1d of tbe;:c,who was his own son Turu, He IOH'd tui,youngcst llnd last of his a,pprpnt i ('s and dis·ciples very dea.rly and bclieYed tLat he could

Page 5: THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the village at those times when b ha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbi happened

THE XXth CENTURY

be am mol' > than he him If ever WnIl; it waslear tha hi grandfath 1" pirit had I' turned

to him. Knecht xp rieuced th in piring,atisf tion of un \'ing pI d on t h urn of hikn wlcdg and faith in Ihe futur , and ofknowin~ u. man. doubly hi. on, lipan WhOIDhe cOllld onf'r his ani 'C fln.v day if it b ametoo mil h for him. How \"er, that first pllpil.wh 111m d out badly, C IIld no I.i pu!:'heilnl ir I all of his lif flnt! his houaht: he

C III U man wbo, althou h no highly han redin t h \'illllge, wus n \" ,rth I x remeh­popul I' and not withou illnllcnce amollg many,h hat! JIlarried, enjoy I favor as n. Aort ofhuff0011 unt! practical joker. was even 'hiefdrllmlD I' in the drummer' ehorwl. and I' .maincd a !' cret nmv and cn\'icr f th I' in·maker froUl whom the lalt I' bad I ulierIII 11,)" a millor and also major injury.

T 11 I'~N came n. yenr-]{lIc<.;ht's Lenrd \vUI<nlrcndy ral her' gr y-whcn thr ord r bl"til N'lI h oxen and eo rt h Rf'cl1lcd 10 ha \'e

Ix'ell 81 ·[l·d and di turbed h\' d mons of 1111­

II. II I pow I' and mali '('. Tbe;.;c di tllrballec,b I!lln ill th Illltllmn, wcirdly and maje"ticlllI.\·,fri,lZhlc-nill~ v'ryollp to tht, bol.tolll of hil< soul/tnd c·lut 'hing at his hellrt wilh fear. with a('f'1 'stial Bp cLacle n '\,cr s(;'en bt'fore which to kpi ·t· ROOII af 'I' thc e (llinox. ](n 'chi hlld forOlll dllYs I cen fecling om'thing whi·h \Vll!'

. tronger alld . tranger than thn which eOllld bef It e Ny year a this ime f !'hortenin1l day".It working of tho powers in the h 'n\'I'nly !.phl'rl'.1111 lin u~in 13 of th arth, the Ilanls, tllPanimals, n re.·tle ne,!\ in t.hr air somethin' I1n·ettl tl, WHiting, anxious, premonilory, ill all

n m Arnon$! thc"e indielltion wcro nL'<o theIi Ir. e1uuda which, long aftcr the un had t,~Iow d [lliv ringly in Iho .n~ning sk in aRutt ring rnov ment which did not orr srond1,0 tho wind blowing on t.he carl,h. With thcexlin tion f th In t cloud taper, the tar in,hc gr ni h. pho pharo c nt ky amId nly oc·

cam iliaI' learl \'i ibl and rapidly inCTeas('r!in number and briUianc ; wh rc a morm'n ago

't,wo or thr bad been visible, tbere now stoodt n, tw nty. Many of t.1I m and t.h ir gruupRand famili s wcr kn wn to the rnilllllnk r. hehad sp('n hem muny hWlclr tis of tim's; theirIInehanged re urn hll~1 SOIUt'l hing . 001 hing nb litit, tar/! w'rl' eomfortin. A!tholl,h the V toadfltr nw . and cold up t 111'1", radiat in no ';lLrlllth,t bl'y wt'r' reliable, firmly fixed, pI' 'Inimingonl r. pI' rnising duration.

'l'odn:-'. to, th Y I ok u down as a I\Va.y;;only v'ry light and II iI th y had n ground\'cry . harpl:-' in the laut. thin air. bll he couldno lind tht' erenit V in himself to abandonhim '('If to th m; au f unknuwn pac ap weI' was dragging at him. hurl,illg in hi~

pore~, . uddng at his (),ve, il 'ntly !tnd con­s ntl.v ffective, a st.r('llLll, a warning trcmor.13esidt, him ill the hut th warm, f ble light of

t.he h art,h glow cl dimly red, tbe ,mall, W!lrmlif flowed on, a aU. a lallgh, a ya\\'1) I' oundedthe dol' of buman bocli breath d, th > warmthof kin. mothl:'r1in • enildreo' I p, and

cmed by it, harmIe proximi~' deepenthe falling night. to driv back th tur evellfurth I' into tbe incomprehensible di:taneo andheiKht.

And now. while fr m wilhin the hu }(II cbthard 'n' \'oiep uil'linl! u child with a d('cp,meladiOIl. hum :lnd drone. be~wll Ihe ata:·t I' )ph in the ski " which thl:' \'illng was lorem mhcr for yenrs. In the qui(' . shining nel.work of stars a shimJ11('ring nnd flickering ap·pelll'f'd her nnd ther , as if tlie oth('J'wiRe in­,j~lhle t.hread· of this network 'utldc'nl" flaredlip. Likp tone bein~ hurt.led, glowing" lip nndquickly going 01lt llguill, a few till' feU r1ia~­

nnall:-' Il.rough I<pncl:', OUl' her, two I here, aff'W hl'r('. thell ~Wnrnli' of dl)Zen , of hllndrf'fb.of t.housltnds. Lilia dend ! av(·s. like wafted~nowflal{('~ tbe\' flt'd, t,h',""ands nnd thOllsund!:!.dowllwnrd'in ghn!'tl.\' ~iknf'e. disl\PI oring hI"hind Ih' woodl:'d h;1\8 in the .outh l\ t. wh rein IhI' J11('morv of mun no . ar had C'\' I' lieI ,somewher(' into l1 boltorole R cha, m.

His heltrt froz n, his eye. wimming, KIlf'chHlol)d with his helld throW11 far back. lookingup horrifil'Ci and .\'f't insatiable inlo t.hl' Iran,,·form d and bewitched sky. not IrlJst.in~ hi!'C'.... Ilnt! \'e on'" 1.00 I'l'rtnin Ilf 111<' frightfuldi.~l 1.<'1'. 'Likc fill nll",r" who witu('''~I'd Ihi,!'pcctaf'll' uf thl' night, Ill' bP1i H·d tllll hr WaRI<('cing the weU·known stars them clvl:'s flinchinf!.:1'lltlcrina, and hurtling clown, and expf'c!. dthnl. unll"s the parth .wallowed him lip first.}.(' woulcl ~oon fincl thl' hf'a, nh' dOlT!e blackand I'mptied. Afl 1'1\ ",hil , hO~\'('\'f'r, lif' per·C" ived what others WP1'P not. arabi (,f p r·('eh'ing: that the well.known stur" WI" ~t ill int.hcir pInel'S hc-rc and t,bern find v('fywh('fp.that, the blizzord of "I firs wa. not I'fI ling nmongthe cnrlh and Ihp hv. and that thp,w fallingor nllng. new, "f> q;lickly apf'c'nrin' fI d ,0

quickly di, flN)1:' r' g lirrbt~ ,glowed in II fir of11 Rligh 11 v cl i fIrrf"n cO](lr from tllllt f Ihold,thl' I' 01' stnr!'.

'oon hp hear,1 gronm,. !lcr am ,nnd C',clflma.lions of l,prror ('omin~ fr m ol.h I' hutR; otherllhfld not 'Cl:'d too, hnd CIll1ed out til new•. hadalartnl'd I h unslI I' til)g and th ,I Jler·. feorAnd )lnni \V 1'(" annu I "f'izp the wholf' ~;1I' ge.~iabinlZ d('epl.v, I(neC"h t ok il uJlon him. plf.Tt \Vas he more I.)'nn anyone elst' at whom tbidisaster At.ruck, hC'. Ihl' ~ninmalicl': he, who wasHO to . p ak rp, pOI'~ihle for t.he orc'l'r in Ihe ~k:v

flnd in the air. lIilhcrlo h. hud alway I adfl.reknowl d!'! or II I' moni ion f gTc'a di,lI~t('l':-{J clR. hail·t" mfl. vi len t<'rm -harlIllw vs pre par dad warned Ih mother!' andddc~R. had prevl'n1cr! the worst. had placl'dhimHfJlf, his knowlcl1~c Rnd his courage and hi!:!faith in the uTwrior power. hetween the villagoand de, r ir. "Vhy had h not known ill ad\-anc

,

Page 6: THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the village at those times when b ha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbi happened

THE HAI~~fAK8R l! 7

und La.k'n uwu.::lll.rc OU thil:l occasion? \-,,,'liyhu,l he no poken a word to anybody aboutth,' durk, port.t.'ntQus premollition which, aft ..rall, hC' hud had:

1"01' a few lUore mOUlc:ntll he rcmaillC'J, hisf'lce l'llised towurd l·he conI illlllllg rain of stu 1''',I hell he bOll'ed his heaJ, slgheJ unce morc fJ'1I11Ja twa.vy hean, and then \\'ulkeJ rapidly thrOllgl1

f' the I1lght il to til villng', to the hut I' 1/1C'Inntriarch.

Here hull' tho village wa:l air ady asscmbled,III II subdurd turmoil, in II pnraJyzed, hull'·sUPllI'cssc<l fn'nzy of horrur and despulr. 'l'ltl'l'CII' 'J'o WolUen 111111 men who Ilballllouf'J t,h'.'IU·8eln~' 11'11 h u .01'1, of ragt' alld lu~t to I he fl'l'lllIguf terror ond imlUilll:llt ('.,tinctlon, whv :--t,l)od!ltiflh' 0'1 if in II tr:\11C,' VI' Iladed around wit hunco~l rull"d lil1lb", one womnn foamcd nt til('Illuuth, d'ilicing aU by hers,'lf II despel'lltl' andlIU,.; ','no dU/lcL', t.cHl'ing out whulo handful.'! of

, hl'r long hlliJ·. Knceld, llUW: ('veryt,hing IVa"moving 1l1rcIJy, nltnost all of them werL' tltoprey 01 the d IJl'iulD, b wltdwd and dri\'('n tvu frCIIL)' by the faHin" Lur.• , it might Cll il)'IOld to an orgy of llludli 'll~, rage, alltl lu,;! orl:l,'ll,drst1'lletl(llJ, it \Va,; high ti'UI' to us 'cl11blennu fortdfy the fow cOllrHg,'olls and scn ibluolles. Tjw llueient lUllll'l:trdl WIlS culm; shub.:JlC\'CU til· end of aU II'IIIJS t" !til\'(' cume bilLdid not rc: ist, Hnd ;:how...u 1.1 f' 11 Jirlll, !tan..! f:H;which 10 ked n!tnust '1'0111('111 iu its pindll'dIlcl'rbit \'. Around hL'!' lIud thl \\'e~lthl'rl1l IkeI'II I:!Ul ;11 gl'lJUp f<)rmlJd of friglltoned uutuut fl'l'llzi"d p.:vplo whl) II'l'I'C f'('ouy II' heleu.

L;ntil tIll' IUOllt,'uL lx'foru Ii, IIrri\'eu, Knrl'illhaJ hop::d to bl' abllJ to nlluy the pallic IJ)L' ~mpll', rlJ:\. on, .'p..'cch, l'xplanu ion, alld P"I'RuaSlon. H hnd hoped thaL lie would lilJ al,letu p~r'lLIudc them to reulizu 11 IH)\'(' nil t!tnl iLWII" not Lhc Slars thomsnl ·cs, (II' n t l'll.st. ""tall of thom, wlti·h were I' tiling dO\I'n und l'l'illgI'arried off by th co:mi' .'torlll; Hnd tll/H- II~ areslil L of nd Yllncing from h Ipl(,s>l tNror lindUI\!l7.l'l11ent to acti,e ob ('rvation t.hey would

lH' able to wit.h tund t,ho shock. But he ,{uid;lylh'rcci\'od hat ill thc wholt: \'illngo th -1'0 weruIJIIly '.-ery kw whum iL would have been pOllllibloLd influence in t·his way, ulld by the t.imc \'1'1\

these fcw hild b.-l'n wun 01'('1', t.he others wUllldhay complC'Lely gi,en thcm el\'(~ up to mad,Ill' ''!. No, I. '1'0 so orlell, IIUt hing was to btlIlchicved b" rco"on or Icver words. Fortunate·Iy, Lhere w~'re ot her mC'll.n '. If it WIlS i m Jlo~l:li bll'to disso!\'C t,he fear of deat.h by permcllt.ing itwith reason, it was still po,sible to guidC' thllfcar of d 'I\t h, to orgolliz' iI., t.o gi,c it hnpoand facc, and to fU1'I1l a lil'ln unit, out of f itehop Ie s confusion of frellzi 'u minds, n ehoru'!out of tho uncontroll(:d, wild, individualvoices,

Knecht immediately went 0 work, a.lld themethod immediately pro,ed c[ccti\'o. Uofacedthe peoplc, cried out the w('lI·known worda of

prayer wit,h which ill olh'r t.imc Lho publicmourning and penitentinl rite w(:l'e open d,the funcml riteR for a matrillrch or the.'lI -rilicioland p 'nit ntial rl'm lIy during di~Hst 1'1'1

thrC'al('ning the whol eomlllul1i) liuth asplaguC's u.lld tillod. He cricd out th· word:;rhythmically ond upported tho rhyt.hnl byclappillg hb hands, und in the same rhyt.IIIU,ehulltiu r and clapping hil:l hands, h lJu\\eddown ulmo·t to tbo ground, raiseu him. Ifagain, bowcLl dU\\'1l agl1lO, I'lii cd him. <'11, nl,dalready ten 01' twcllty others had joined in thu1ll0\- Ilwnt., thC' aneicut. mother of tilt: "i1lago~toOlI, Ululllbling rhythmically nnd. indicatingth rit.ual 1ll0\'('I1lC'ntl:l with slight. bows. Tltllsostill arri\'ing from other Iluts autlJlllaticallyjoin€'d ill thc rhythm lind spirit of thl' el'l'l'lIIony.Those f w who woru cntin,ly po;::;cs.'l'd I,ltill-rcollaps('d quickly froll1 ex hllustion und layimmobilc 0)\ the groulld, 01' t.hey wC'rf' cOIII)lt'llf.dlind clll'l'icd along by t.he murmuring cllOl'u.and the rhythmic bows of the CC!'('lllnlly. Hehud succeeded. In tead of a deSpl'I'Htl' honl'of III au llJPIl , tbere now stood au a,<.~('mbly ofwor hip 'rs l' udy to do Hcriuee and pcnulw(', illwhich e\' 'ry heart WIlS fort ilicd by t h 0p)Jor·tuniLy, in tcad of hiding his fcar of deotll andhorror 01' gi\'ing vent to them in his 011'11

bcreams, of to killg b is placo in a SOlt'll1I1 pere·mony, rlJythmicnlly, in an orgnn.lzed ehorull ofIllany \'oi '(Oil.

Wtlile tho whole night. k)T was still eo\ t-redlJy tho host.s of "hoot illg sturR n8 by as ulldle . -Iy hurt,lillg cascade of drops of ligbt, tho dreadof the villugo was trulI"form d int.o urrf'nderand dc olioll, into sllpplication and a f('dingvf penit 'ncc, Ilud t.he dlsorgunized hC'u,'(,\! w rel'ollfrOllled by the fC'or und weakn('i's uf hlllllUIIbeings as o;d('r ond rltuol harmony. En'nbefort' t hI rain of "tars I)('gun to t ir' and flowmore thillly, thc mLrade WOll HchiC'I'('d am.!radiated Il('uling pUWl'!', und \\'111'11 till: "ky;;PCl1lcJ gl'Hdually to enlm uown nll<l n'eo\"cr.the ('xhulIst('d penitents all had th' J'l'd,'C'IJlingfecling uf 11ll\'ing pacified the powers alld reo ~~torcu order ill the sky by their exerl'i:;e..

Knecht did 1I0t, ,hurl' in this Ulood lind ill~t.he gradual cnltuing dowlI alld forgctting of t hugreat. ('\'ent. '1'0 hiln t Ii 0 weird ('xlll'riL'IlCl' l' '.

mainL'd Ull unforgettable admonishmcnt, a oRdthat ne\','r left· him in )'"ne(.' , and to him thofact thnt it hud passed uud had 1..)<'('11 lulled byproces"ion. pl'llycr, Illld )lcllnnce did lIuL meuut hnt, iL wus j-jnisllcd alld dVllo wit h. 1'h 'rrwa.s somdhill T llppl'Oaclling, n. dallgt'r ondthrC'nl from tho,.;e "ph('I' 'S with whieh he walleonncdl'(1 by his ollieI' lind, ill whatuver ,hapethl'.\' ap)Jcared, thry wuuld, abo,'u a.ll andexplicitly. be din:c l'd at him. To confrontthis c1ong,'r wakefully I\nd with determination,to pre par his soul for it, to accept it, but noLto let him 'elf be humiliated by it, that wasthe ,,'arning and the deci ion which he deduced.from the great omen,

Page 7: THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the village at those times when b ha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbi happened

288 THE XXIii n~:-.rTUHY

WINTER came Ilnd weill, It dulUp andrather ruild winter, Nu nwro stnl's f~lI,

no gr('at or unusual thing hap[)('ncd,the fears of tb ' \'illagc WNO allaycd, the hUlltc'r"went regularly in search of bout.y, the bllndlesof sl.iflly frozen pelt" ml.lled .·vel'yll'hcre illwindy, cold wcatllN ngnillst tile st.icks frull'whirh they w(,l'r suspellded U\'t'r thc hilI,.., "IIlong llinootll p'Jles luads of wuod wc're dl'llll'lIucro Ih snuw from Ihe foro<ll.

It was only in s1 ring that. til g[uonJy Pl't"monit.ion:> of tllc wcuth'rmllkcr 'were ill partcon fi1'111 l'd, Jt turned out to be a n'ry bad,llnwillillg spring, betraycd by the moon, withoulurge or sa p; the Uloon was al way' bdlilldhal1lJ,

n vcr di I t.he vllrious signs coilleide which wel'oneeded to determine t.he day of sowillg, fcdlll'wa 1 hl' ulo 0111 ing of tile f[owcrs ill th., wihkl"ne, il, dead hUl1g the clo 'cd buds from the Iwig"',Knecht was vCl'y anxious wit.hullt. showing it,unly Ada and Tum noticed how he su LIel'ed,Howl'vl'r, whcll thE' usual date for sowing waslong overdlle he had to r<'port to the Illnt.rinrcb;llnd hl're, too, he 111('1. with misfort,uno Elndanlloyull e, The old WOlllan, kindly inclinedlownnl him wit It an allllu·t lUol hl'rly fe'ling,did nut rccei\'L\ Itim, 811e wa,s nut feelillg well,she WII.S ill b('d, had lwndl'd uv\'1' [lll hl'l' uutiesand rights to h.'r islel', alld this si 'Ier feltmthcr coldly toward Ihe rainmuker. :-;lte diunot hl\.\'o th BOyere, :;trnight na.turo of tlteolder one, was sOlllCwllO.t incUneu toward enter·tainment and UIUU ement., and thi inclinationhad urougbt the drullllller and lllounll'unnkMaI'O to her, wbo was adept at entol'tainingher and flatt.cring her, And !lraro \Yo. Knecht'lienemy.

Knocht finally fixed t,he dutD for 80wing onthe fil'8t lhly of the third quartor of the IUOOII,On top of CY 'rything, it. 0 happened Ihat, onl'day b fore tho long.awaited and pfl·J.larl'deerelllony of SIIWillg, t.hc old ma.triarch died,the Cel'elllony had to be postponed, find illsteadthe funeral had to be announced and pl'q>ared,It Wll, l\. fir",t·r lte cen'muny; IJchiml the Ill'Wmot.hel' of tho villnge, her ::.i 'tCI'~ uml dllllglttl'l';l,

_I the minlllllker hnd his pial", in thl' gn'l1tpro 'c,siullal robes, wilh the bigh pointed foxskin'ap, Ilssisted by his son Tum, who b ut tltotwo·tulled Ilnrrlwuod clappcr, l\luclt honor wa"IH'conled to Ihl' dec II cd n wdl a" to herMi"ter, thc 11"11' \'illagc IIIUtl It'l' , :\/nro wit h thedrllmnl('I'S kd by him put Itimself into tltelimelight and allrncted nllcnl·iull and applause.'I'll(' \'illnge 11'1'1' and l'elebl'llteJ, it enjoyeumourning and the festin' day, IllIlSic of dl'umsand ,mcl'iti 'l'S, it. Wl\.S l\. gl'cat day for evcl'yuody,bllt. t.he suwing had bCl'n po.'t poncd ngain.Knecht, toad therc full of dignity and Olll·pOStl!'C, Ull t WllS decply nnxiou ; it seemed t uhim as if he Wl're burying all t.he good tinwsof hi. life wilh the mnt.riaJ'ch,

:-:)oon after, the sowing t,ook place, at t.ho wish ofthe now matriaroh again with unlltiual splendor,

Knecht breutllCd a liul· wore t:lisily Wlll'lI till"cerelUollY wus ti nally cum pld ed, Hu t thecrops O\I-n flO f' '~i\- l.v wen: nut to yi Id anyjuy or hnn'est, it wns l\ year withont ut'Rsing,Beginning wit.h flrelaps into wint.er Hud frosl,tIle w,'nth.:1' pltl)'l'd vcry imaginable llIalicioust I'i,'k during thl' spring Ilnd SUIIllIll'r, and in tho,..ll/nnll'r, wht'n tinnily a Ihin, lull', srnllty cro}'t:uvcn·d lite' livid,.. , ('IlIIIC till' Illst /lnd the \\orsl"tl terri I,ll' druught "twh ns therc hnd IICn'1' ucellIII the 1I1t'IUllry uf IIHlll. \\'l'd. after wcck thslln bruiled ill thl.: whit j,,11 glnro uf hent., thoslIHlII ,..t 1'('ll11lS dri.'d "[,; 1111 1IIIlt 1'l'llIIlillCd uf tlil\'illagc pond WllS II. chrt." }Jog, lite' J!al'lldl~e ufdragolltlies alld of a Ulon,~trull" l'l'uu,i lIf IIlO.·

'1uitues; in tho dry enrl.11 deep l'I'Elc!.." gapcd,alld one could wakh 1.110 crop sickl'lI 1Ilid "lil'i\'eJU(l. ~\' ry null' and again cloud, gatl1l'n'd, butthe thunderst('rm wcrl' dry, a IIII if a httl,dash of min foil, it was followcd by days of 0­

withering cast wind, liglltning often struckhigh trees, whose arid to}'s weill u}' ill lIulJI ~.

"Turll," Kll<' hI. ,mid olle clay tf) hi,.. sun,"this n ll'nir will nut "11l1 w(,II, wu haH' all thodUIUOIlH against u,s, It. began with thl' fallingstars, / I, will, 1 b Ii '\'C, 00';1. mL: lily lif(',1{.ellll'lIlber, if I IllUst 1.>0 Haorilicf'd, yun wtlltnkuIllY plaee in (,hc SUllle bOllI', and tho hrl:'t t.hingyou will delUH nu i t hu t Illy uody uc l)Ilrl1l:dllnd the nshcll be strewn O\'er III<' tidds. Yuuwill havc Il willtcr of faminc, uut lite llIi"f..1'l UIIPwill uc broken then, \' fJlI nlll"t ":l'l' (u it, t Jill110 ono touebl's the \'illllgC'S "tore of 'l'ed, itmust be pUllihhable uy dcath, The comingyear will ue uetkr, allo people will say: it ill u.good thillg we ha\'e tho new yOlll1g wenther­maker,"

The proces 'iUIl, t.he sacrificc'"" tJ1l:l lung,heart-rending drlllll ellOl'lISe', were 1Illnu!c toimprove matter. Knecht led thel1l, it Wll hi'iolliet', Ullt when 1.ht: p oplc dispcrscd oguin, heatoOll nlone, IlhUlIlleU uy all, He knl'w wllntwail nf'e('ssnry, nnt! ho olso kll<'w thllL :\Iurohad alrendy dClllflnded till' ,,:H'riJil'l' uf hi!! pCI'·

,'on from the I1Inll'iarl'lt. Fur Ill(' .-akl' ()f hishonor n.nd his Sllll IIlI tlluk tile lnst Htc-p: hedrC'!!l't! Turu ill the grllllJ cl'n'luonial robes,look billl to tht: matrial'ch, J'l'COlllmell(J.-d hilll/1':1 his "IICCt'SSOI' and IniJ down his own unicl',ofl'ering hilUl:'elf as a sacrifi c, I::\he 'crutinizedhim curiou Iv for 1\ short wbilf', IhclI sho noJdcdand agreed,'

'fhe sacrifice WHil cllJ'l'ied Ullt 1IIl' Hllllin day..-\11 tho dist.inglli'hed l1IelUber Hllrl dignitHril'"uf the \'illage went along, the Illalriardl \1 itl.t· 1'0 of 111:1' sisters, thl' l'lders, t he head of thedrummers' cborlls Maro, They Wl're followedby the rest of the p ople, wHlking in nn UII,organized crowd, ~ohody III U'cd tbe old raill'maker, it was II. rather silent., nllcasy ulfair,The proc,'ssion moved into tltt' fon·st andarrin:,d at. a large, 1'0 md clearing which Kncchthimself had designated as thl' plucc for theceremony, 1\1ost. of the wen had uruught.

Page 8: THE RAINMAKER - University of Hawaii · or rainmaker. He became the mo I, important person in the village at those times when b ha.d really to officiate as weathermaker. Tbi happened

EO K REVmW2 "

t twir :ill/lie axe", Lo h,ll! wit h t,h" Wl/oJ pile fort he burning. The raiJ10Julicr t ok hi plae inth OJiudlc of the el arin' and thp dignitarieforllled a lim II circle al' und him. t.l1C crowdst.lInding n littl further Lack iu It large circlc.

c\" rybody I ept an irre olut , embarra cdsilcne , the rainlllaker hims II began to speak."1 hav b n your rainrnnl PI', he aid, 'J didmy work for mllny y aI', a, Vi' II flS I could,,~ow tbe demoll arc agai.n t OJ , I ha\'c fail dill C\Tcl'ythil.1g. That i \l'h,}' l hn vo ofTer dmpolf as a acrificc. That will reconcile thedemon. Far Vi' II! And \\'h will kill m '? Irccommend Maro the dl'umnll'r. he 'hould be1he right man to do it,."

H fell. il nt, and nobody may d. Turu,hi face dark red under t.hl' heavy fur ap,loaheu around the circlc with t,orment.cd ey s;hi f ther mil d ironically. Finally the ma­triRl'ch stamp d her f ot, angrily, beckoned~I{\I'O and h uted aL him: "l:o ah('ad! Takeyour ax and d it!" Mara, his ax in his hands,:;1,0 d b 'f I' hi form r mll.lcl:, he hat d himm re than ev 1', th tOlleh of irony 011 Ihat,t.l1eiturn old mouth caused him deep pain.He liftcd hi ax and swung it back overhis heau, holding it high whil he aimed,::It nring into the yei! of t he victim and

waiLillg fol' Lilli fo do Lil:! eyetl. Hut 1\.11 hi.rdus d to do 0, t adily 11 kept his y()JX'n and looked ut th man "'ith t.h a.,almost without cxpresl:lion; but whatever ex­pre sion wa discernible bO\'er d bcl wcell pit ylind irony.

Angril.' MaI'O Hung away his ux. "I won'tdo it,," h mumbled, forced his way throughthe ('in·1e of dignilllrie IlDd di,;appellr d in tbec/'Owd. .\ few pcople Littered. The mn/rillr "WlIS pal(' with \\'rulll, over t.h· eowardly, g d­for,nothing Mara 110 Ie than 0\' I' that arrogantrainm k 1'. 'he b kon d on of th ldrs, Il

vencrnblr, quiet man, who 8to d leaning on hisax and seemed to fce) nshllmcd of tho wholuembarra ~ing, eCll. Hp t pp U lip, he n dde Ibriefly alld in a fri 'nclly manner at th victim.tbey had know)l each ot,her tline· ehildhoodduys, and now the vi tim willingly l,lo: d hilleyes, Knecht. clos d thclll firmly and inclin dhis head lightly. The old man Ii it, him withhis ax, and he ollnpspd. 'IIII'll, the n W min·maker, could nol utter a word, only wit.hgesture he intlicut.ru what 'I'll' n CCS"lI1'y, andRoon a pile of wood WfiS bllilt and Lho bodypia cd on it. Th .olemn ritUAl of drillingfir with th two sa I' d tick wa Turu's firstoffieiaJ aeL.

BOOK

Goelhe's "Faust" als AnI ltun~ 2um Leb n(GoetlH"~ .. FolL.t" ru II Gllide 10 Lifo). b.II UWfI"t·1:6!1rrh. (Shall!lhl/i. /915• .II",,, lI'(J8slrr d:: '0., /64 pp.)

Tile nllillM, nlt II ugh not 0 philologi'l by prof ­~ioll. present" II book \\ lIicli r('vcnls .'xp,,,,t knowledgeof th slIbj",·t tUl well 11>1 n In... p{'(laj,togic I\lhusinsrn.Known to Illuny l,;ernllUUl in tllo Etu;t Ill! all xcellcl\trN·il('r f {:o tho's works, he is Ilt Ihe SlIm lime 1\

disc('I'ning and ofTect ionol l·omlllClllutor. To him.!,Of'lry is not m 1'0 on or omb lIiRllmcnt: h seoks inII Ihe poel's wi8dorn clilleJ from life. From (;oN he's(·Ifissicn) Fou8t I, , "mw>! le,'<8ol1s for li\'ing whiL'h IIpplyIIlwRyS and where, ,'I' it is .. mol !(Or of furming tr·u '.1I0bl , tUld useful Ininds. \\'illl tllis clll8Siclll ideo ofr'<.lu(,lltion, ho IIrr Ill'! 118 Il ffilU1 of our dlly I hisCOllI mporaries. AJ\(I. inrle('d, Ihis ideo is not "ou·

REVIEW

801 I." 01\0 might \'en say thol, to 1\ ccrtnin exlent.it is mol' modenl! hnn Ct· 1'; for how is ('unt('rnpororInlUl 10 Inti IIi way Ihrough t.he storlll>! IIntl dangel'of ('\,('l\ls throughout Ihe world unl h powil hin lIims('lf a ('leur, firm. InomJ Hubslnlll'cY

Tho ulIIhor Ink Ihose bv the hUlld wllo ho ilotoat thc ide.n of rOfiding Fall t becau 0 it is too difli('ult10 wllierstand, pnrticulurly in its !!ecoml purt. Risbook renll.\' gllid s one through tho drnlllo, Bcrm uySCl'ne, 11.I\cl it is well providod with 1111 po sible 0 .

planolionll for which tho ronder miglll k.Tho rich. insll'ucliva cOl\tontfl of GW;!IL\' R6l1roko's

work shoulJ pro\,' a welC'omo o<ldit ion to Ihe for ign.!(Ll\gullge bookf< publi8h d in I'('cent years in the EllStin lUl nlt mpt 10 fill tho gnp caused by tl". war.-C.H.E.