The drought was unusual in its severity and length, and Chieftain Buroogu got worried in the end. The game was getting thin on the ground, and there was ever less fruit to be found. One day, he called together all the elders. They met not far from the huts at a clearing prepared for the purpose. “We need rain,” he told the elders. “I think it’s high time for a rain dance.” The elders kept mum, but he let them reflect in peace. “Chief,” said one of the elders at last, “we can perform a rain dance, but it’s not very likely that it’ll work wonders this time around.” All the elders nodded. “This drought’s tough to break,” chimed in another elder, and all of them nodded quite vigorously. “Still,” continued the elder who spoke first, “we can perform the dance at your order.” Many of the elders frowned. “That way, you’d be cheered if the rain came, but you’d be booed if it didn’t.” Most of the elders laughed and Buroogu joined them at once. “All right,” he said, “I’ll order the dance!” When they returned to the huts, he announced his decision to many an enthusiastic cheer. The whole tribe was exhausted by the drought already. The dance was to be performed the very next day, and it was to take from dawn till sundown.