cherished _sakultobee_ (M.). And taking it home, he tied it to the
place in the wigwam above that wherein he slept. Nor had he waited long
before she came, and, with little ado, remained with him as his wife.
Now Pulowech, being himself addicted to sorcery, knew that there were
divers knaves of the same stamp prowling about the woods, who would
make short work of a wife if they could find a plump young one in the
way,--they being robbers, ravishers, and cannibals withal. Therefore he
warned his bride to keep well within doors when he was away, and to
open to none, which she, poor soul, meant to obey with all her might.
But being alone at midnight, and hearing a call outside, even
"_Pantahdooe_!" M., "Open the door to me!" she wondered greatly who
it might be. And it was a very wicked wizard, a _boo-oin_, or
pow-wow; and he, being subtle and crafty, and knowing of her family,
so imitated the voices of her brothers and sisters; beseeching her to let
them in, that her very heart ached. "O sister, we have come from afar!"
they cried. "We missed you, and have followed you. Let us in!" And yet
again she heard a sad and very earnest voice, and it was that of her
old mother, crying, "_N'toos', n'toos', pantahdooe_!" M., "My
daughter! my daughter! open unto me!" and she verily wist that it must
be so. But when she heard the voice of her dear old father, shaking and
saying, "_Pantahdooe loke cyowchee_!" "Open the door, for I am very
cold!" she could resist no more, and, springing up, opened it to those
who were without. And then the evil sorcerers, springing on her like
mad wolves, dragged her away and devoured her. They did not leave two
of her little bones one with another. [Footnote: This Indian Little Red
Riding-Hood story is very effective. The wolfish sorcerers bursting in
at midnight are even more terrible, from a nursery melodramatic point,
than the old wolf in bed.]
Now when _Wejek_, the Tree Partridge, came in and found his
friend's wife gone, he was so angry that, without waiting, he set forth
to seek her. And this was not wisely done, since, falling among them,
he was himself slain. Then Pulowech, returning last of all, and finding
no one, sought by means of magic to know where friend and wife might
be. For taking a _woltes_, or a wooden dish, he filled it with
water, and charmed it with a spell, and placed it in the back part of
his wigwam, just opposite the door. So he laid him down to sleep, and
in the morning when he arose he looked upon the dish,--even the dish of
divination,--and lo! it was half full of blood. Then he knew that the
twain had been murdered.
Then gathering all his arms, he went forth for revenge, and passed many
days on the path, tracking the _boo-oin_; and having the eyesight
of sorcery, he one day beheld very far away, upon an exceeding high
cliff, the knee of a man sticking out of the stone, and knew that a
sorcerer had hidden himself in the solid rock, even as a child might
hide itself in a pile of feathers. Then throwing his tomahawk he cut
away the knee, and the _boo-oin_, his spell broken, remained hard
and fast forever in the ledge. And yet, anon, a little further on, he
saw a foot projecting from a wall, and this he likewise cut off, and
with that he had slain two.
And as he went further he found by the way a poor little squirrel, even
_Meeko_, who was crawling along, half dead, in sorry plight. And
taking her up he made her well, and placing her in his bosom, said,
"Rest there yet a while, _Meeko_, for thou must fight to-day, and
that fiercely. Yet fear not, for I will stand by thee, and when I tap
thy back, then shalt thou bring forth thy young!"