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Also at times was he called The Loud Shouter； The God… Voiced； The
Bird…Throated； The One with the Throat Sweet as the Throat of the
Honey…Bird； The Sun Singer； and The Star…Born。
Why The Star…Born？ In vain Bassett interrogated Ngurn。
According to that old devil…devil doctor； the Red One had always been；
just where he was at present； for ever singing and thundering his will over
men。 But Ngurn's father； wrapped in decaying grass…matting and
hanging even then over their heads among the smoky rafters of the devil…
devil house； had held otherwise。 That departed wise one had believed
that the Red One came from out of the starry night； else why … so his
argument had run … had the old and forgotten ones passed his name down
as the Star…Born？ Bassett could not but recognize something cogent in
such argument。 But Ngurn affirmed the long years of his long life；
wherein he had gazed upon many starry nights； yet never had he found a
star on grass land or in jungle depth … and he had looked for them。 True；
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he had beheld shooting stars （this in reply to Bassett's contention）； but
likewise had he beheld the phosphorescence of fungoid growths and rotten
meat and fireflies on dark nights； and the flames of wood… fires and of
blazing candle…nuts； yet what were flame and blaze and glow when they
had flamed and blazed and glowed？ Answer： memories； memories only；
of things which had ceased to be； like memories of matings accomplished；
of feasts forgotten； of desires that were the ghosts of desires； flaring；
flaming； burning； yet unrealized in achievement of easement and
satisfaction。 Where was the appetite of yesterday？ the roasted flesh of
the wild pig the hunter's arrow failed to slay？ the maid； unwed and dead
ere the young man knew her？
A memory was not a star； was Ngurn's contention。 How could a
memory be a star？ Further； after all his long life he still observed the
starry night…sky unaltered。 Never had he noted the absence of a single
star from its accustomed place。 Besides； stars were fire； and the Red One
was not fire … which last involuntary betrayal told Bassett nothing。
〃Will the Red One speak to…morrow？〃 he queried。
Ngurn shrugged his shoulders as who should say。
〃And the day after？ … and the day after that？〃 Bassett persisted。
〃I would like to have the curing of your head；〃 Ngurn changed the
subject。 〃It is different from any other head。 No devil…devil has a head
like it。 Besides； I would cure it well。 I would take months and months。
The moons would come and the moons would go； and the smoke would be
very slow； and I should myself gather the materials for the curing smoke。
The skin would not wrinkle。 It would be as smooth as your skin now。〃
He stood up； and from the dim rafters； grimed with the smoking of
countless heads； where day was no more than a gloom； took down a
matting…wrapped parcel and began to open it。
〃It is a head like yours；〃 he said； 〃but it is poorly cured。〃
Bassett had pricked up his ears at the suggestion that it was a white
man's head； for he had long since come to accept that these jungle…
dwellers； in the midmost centre of the great island； had never had
intercourse with white men。 Certainly he had found them without the
almost universal beche…de…mer English of the west South Pacific。 Nor
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THE RED ONE
had they knowledge of tobacco； nor of gunpowder。 Their few precious
knives； made from lengths of hoop…iron； and their few and more precious
tomahawks from cheap trade hatchets； he had surmised they had captured
in war from the bushmen of the jungle beyond the grass lands； and that
they； in turn； had similarly gained them from the salt…water men who
fringed the coral beaches of the shore and had contact with the occasional
white men。
〃The folk in the out beyond do not know how to cure heads；〃 old
Ngurn explained； as he drew forth from the filthy matting and placed in
Bassett's hands an indubitable white man's head。
Ancient it was beyond question； white it was as the blond hair attested。
He could have sworn it once belonged to an Englishman； and to an
Englishman of long before by token of the heavy gold circlets still
threaded in the withered ear…lobes。
〃Now your head 。 。 。 〃 the devil…devil doctor began on his favourite
topic。
〃I'll tell you what；〃 Bassett interrupted； struck by a new idea。 〃When I
die I'll let you have my head to cure； if； first； you take me to look upon the
Red One。〃
〃I will have your head anyway when you are dead；〃 Ngurn rejected the
proposition。 He added； with the brutal frankness of the savage：
〃Besides； you have not long to live。 You are almost a dead man now。
You will grow less strong。 In not many months I shall have you here
turning and turning in the smoke。 It is pleasant； through the long
afternoons； to turn the head of one you have known as well as I know you。
And I shall talk to you and tell you the many secrets you want to know。
Which will not matter； for you will be dead。〃
〃Ngurn；〃 Bassett threatened in sudden anger。 〃You know the Baby
Thunder in the Iron that is mine。〃 （This was in reference to his all…potent
and all…awful shotgun。） 〃I can kill you any time； and then you will not
get my head。〃
〃Just the same； will Vngngn； or some one else of my folk get it；〃
Ngurn complacently assured him。 〃And just the same will it turn here in
the and turn devil…devil house in the smoke。 The quicker you slay me
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with your Baby Thunder； the quicker will your