But she replied, "Not so fast,
Master, for there yet remains One whom no one has ever conquered or got
the better of in any way, and who will remain unconquered to the end of
time."
"And who is he?" inquired the Master.
"It is the mighty _Wasis_," she replied, "and there he sits; and I
warn you that if you meddle with him you will be in sore trouble."
Now _Wasis_ was the Baby. And he sat on the floor sucking a piece
of maple-sugar, greatly contented, troubling no one.
As the Lord of Men and Beasts had never married or had a child, he knew
naught of the way of managing children. Therefore he was quite certain,
as is the wont of such people, that he knew all about it. So he turned
to Baby with a bewitching smile and bade him come to him.
Then Baby smiled again, but did not budge. And the Master spake sweetly
and made his voice like that of the summer bird, but it was of no
avail, for Wasis sat still and sucked his maple-sugar.
Then the Master frowned and spoke terribly, and ordered Wasis to come
crawling to him immediately. And Baby burst out into crying and
yelling, but did not move for all that.
Then, since he could do but one thing more, the Master had recourse to
magic. He used his most awful spells, and sang the songs which raise
the dead and scare the devils. And Wasis sat and looked on admiringly,
and seemed to find it very interesting, but all the same he never moved
an inch.
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