and needing sleep, they did not allow me to nap even a little,

as they made a ruckus. And I lay there sleepless,

with a headache until the rooster crowed.

Come on, let us gods avoid helping them,

lest one of us get wounded by a sharp missile,

for they fight up close, even if a god should confront them.

Let’s all instead enjoy watching this battle from heaven.”

So she spoke and the other gods assented to her

and they all came gathered together in one spot.

Then some mosquitoes bearing great trumpets

sounded the dread song of battle. And from heaven

Kronos’ son, Zeus, thundered the portent of wicked war.

First, Croakmaster struck Lickman with a spear

through his stomach, mid-liver, as he stood among the forefighters.

And he fell down headlong and dirtied his delicate hair.

He thundered as he fell, and his weapons clattered about him.

Hole-dweller next hurled at Muddy’s son

and fixed a stout spear in his chest. Then black death took him

as he fell and his soul flew from his body.

Bowldiver killed Beeteater when he struck him in the heart

and Breadmuncher struck Sir Croaks-a-lot in the stomach—

and he then fell headlong, and his soul flew from his limbs.

When Pondlubber saw Sir Croaks-a-lot dying

he acted first in crushing Holedweller’s tender neck

with a rock like a mill-stone. Then darkness covered his eyes.

Grief overtook Basilson and he drove him through with a sharp reed

as the other didn’t raise his spear against him. When Lickman saw this,

he took aim at him with his own shining spear

and hurled it: he didn’t miss his liver. Then, when he noticed

that Spice-eater was fleeing, he rushed upon the lush banks.

And he did not let up from battle, no, he ran him through.

He fell and didn’t look up again: then the pond was dyed

with purple blood even as he was stretched out on the shore

as he tried to rise with his intestines and trailing loins.

Then he despoiled Cheesenibbler on the same banks.

When Minty saw Hamcarver he went into flight

and he was driven into the pond while rushing, after abandoning his shield.

Blameless Mudbedder killed Poundweight.

Watergrace killed King Hameater

after striking him with a stone on the top of his head. And his brains

dribbled from his nose and the earth was spattered with blood.

Platelicker then killed blameless Mudbedder

as he sprung at him with his spear. Then darkness covered his eyes.

When Greenstalk saw this, he dragged Smokehunter by the foot,

overpowered him, and drowned him in the pond as he reached out his hand.

Crumbthief defended his dead friend

and hurled at Greenstalk through his stomach into his liver—

then he fell forward and his soul descended to Hades.

Cabbagetreader saw this and threw a lump of mud at him;

it smeared his face and he nearly blinded him.