"We are the oldest and greatest people of the earth.

Ay, more; we are children of the Sun, and, ages ago, when our fathers were true to their faith and their God, there were none who could contend against us.

We had our great altars on every hilltop, and our villages were in every valley.
Our kings ruled from far above the great fresh water down to where the salt sea kisses the white sand; our slaves toiled in the fields to produce us food, and in the rocks to give us store of metal for the chase and war.

It was then the Sun shone warm upon his children, and there were none among men who dared to face our warriors in battle.

We were masters of all the land we trod; we feared no people, for we were blessed of the Sun." "How came the end ?" "It was a curse upon us--curse because we made mock of the Sun.