in the same field each year. And every tenth
season he let a field go unused. He called it 'giving the ground rest. '
49 He found that by going into the mountains gathering bird droppings
at the bases of cliffs and spreading them on his fields he could
greatly increase the yield of his crops. This idea caught on, and soon
became a new business taken up by many throughout the Land. They called
the product fertilizer.
50 As The Hawk and his Lady were moving into their house, she stopped
at the little house sitting on a pole in the yard. "What is this?" she
asked. "I thought at first they were bird houses. There is one in the
yard of all your peoples' houses. What sort of magic do they make?"
51 The Hawk laughed. It is a tradition," he explained, "among many of
our people. They are Spirit Houses, often exact copies of the
real houses down to
the tiniest detail. There are even furnishings inside carved out of
wood and painted. It is believed that Spirits are very small, and these
houses are provided for them so when they visit the living and watch
over Their Children, they may have some place to stay."
52 "What a strangely beautiful idea!" sighed The Lady Hawk. "Your
peoples' ways continue to
fascinate me! Every time I find something
new. We will have a good life here, with your little Spirits to watch
over our house!"
53 The Hawk's new home had another benefit. Though Swift Deer could no
longer go to the field in battle, he could still teach, and he got a
job at Eastern's Warlock's Academy. Every time he had leave, he came
down to The Hawk's estate. Many a pleasant evening was spent in games
of chess and cards. Sometimes when he took his young students on field
exercises they used The Hawk's land and The Hawk and his Lady would go
out and