It was so selected by himself because he did not like clam-meat.
It was old Nino, high priest before Agno, with an ear open to the voice of the shark-god, who had so laid the taboo.

But, he, Bashti, had privily commanded Nino to lay the taboo against clam-meat upon him, because he, Bashti, did not like clam-meat and had never liked clam-meat.
Still further, since he had lived longer than the oldest priest of them, his had been the appointing of every one of them.

He knew them, had made them, had placed them, and they lived by his pleasure.

And they would continue to take program from him, as they had always taken it, or else they would swiftly and suddenly pass.

He had but to remind them of the passing of Kori, the devil devil doctor who had believed himself stronger than his chief, and who, for his mistake, had screamed in pain for a week ere what composed him had ceased to scream and for ever ceased to scream.
* * * * * In Agno's large grass house was little light and much mystery.