Return to Eden

because she freed you. I do not ask for gratitude, but I do request acknowledgment of this fact from you."
    Far< was still angry. "Am I to take your orders, too, Enge? Are you my eistaa now?"
    Enge stayed calm in the face of her wrath. "I command you only to state a fact. Is Ambalasei responsible for your freedom?"
    After a reluctant silence Far< signed a stiff positive motion. Enge acknowledged it.
    "That is good. Never forget it. As Ambalasei has helped us in the past, so will she help us in the future.
    Therefore when she wishes to speak to you of conditions of use of the uruketo you owe her the courtesy of at least listening. You may reject the conditions, but you must listen. Do you agree?"
    Far< lowered her eyes in deep thought and when she raised them again her anger had faded and she signed supplication. "In my zeal to spread the teachings of Ugunenapsa and to insure the continuation of those teachings, I have permitted myself to be moved to anger. For this I apologize to you and the other Daughters of Life." She directed a gesture of dismissal in Ambalasei's direction. "I do not and will not apologize to this unbeliever."
    "Nor do I wish it, obnoxious one. I have heard that the stature of a Yilanè is measured by her enemies. I hope that I can number you among them because I am lost if I call you friend. Now—will you follow my instructions?"
    "I will listen to them," she hissed in answer.
    "For you, a reasonable statement." With signs of dismissal of unimportance she turned away and addressed the others. "We will now discuss facts historical and their bearing on events to come. All of you here were at one time unbelievers. Then you were spoken to by such as Enge, saw the light, so to speak, and became believers. Is that not what happened?" She nodded at the motions of agreement. "So that is the way Daughters are recruited. Where did this take place? I ask you Enge."
    "For me it was in the city of Inegban* where I spoke with a Yilanè of great learning by the name of Essokel."
    "In the city?"
    "Yes, of course."
    "And you others," Ambalasei said with a gesture that embraced their totality. "All of you learned of Ugunenapsa's inspiring philosophy in a city?"
    Each signed agreement, even Far< with great reluctance. "Of course it would have to be that way. You were all Yilanè or you would not have been able to understand the arguments. But do these conversions really conform to Ugunenapsa's exhortations in her eighth principle? Do I not sense strong discrimination here?"
    There were movements and signs of puzzlement on all sides—and a flare of colored rejection from Far< who would not even consider Ugunenapsa's principles when voiced by this unbeliever. Only Enge stood silent and thoughtful, her limbs and tail writhing slightly in echo of cogitation. Now Ambalasei watched her alone as her movements quickened and coalesced and she threw her arms wide with joy of discovery.
    "As always, great Ambalasei brightens us with the clarity of her thought and we must give her praise, highest praise."
    Far< signed refusal, the others query, Ambalasei a pleased acknowledgment of credit where credit was due. Enge's body moved uncontrollably with the intensity of her emotions.
    "Ambalasei has the breadth of intelligence and understanding to show us where to look in Ugunenapsa's teachings. The answer was always there, it was just our ineptitude that prevented us from seeing it. Does not the eighth principle state that we bear the responsibility to help all others to know the spirit of life and the way of life? Yet why do we limit ourselves so?"
    She ended with a query and desire for answer. There was still puzzlement and contempt from Far<.
    "Will you have us explain the principles of Ugunenapsa to the fishes in the sea?"
    "Silence, Far<," Satsat said, anger sharpening her movements. "You dishonor us as well as yourself with the darkness of your thoughts. Ambalasei has indeed led us to the truth—and in that she is more loyal to Ugunenapsa's teachings than you are with your rejections. We were all Yilanè when we learned of Ugunenapsa. Because of this we think only of Yilanè. But we forget the fargi. All of them wanting only to learn from us, their minds empty vessels ready to be filled with Ugunenapsa's truth."
    "It takes one of great intelligence to see things hidden from those of lesser ability," Ambalasei said with her usual modesty. "Here is what you must do. Go to the fargi and teach them. In their urge to