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"
"
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.
The little folk listened to him quietly.
"
What shall we do?" asked Ak.
"
"
These creatures are of no benefit to the world," said the Prince of the Knooks;
we must destroy them."
"
Their lives are devoted only to evil deeds," said the Prince of the Ryls. "We
must destroy them."
"
They have no conscience, and endeavor to make all mortals as bad as
themselves," said the Queen of the Fairies. "We must destroy them."
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