Page:Myths of the Iroquois.djvu/61

8M1TH.) light the pipe. Wheu he reached the chiefs cabin he went in and the younger sister was there. She was so disappointed when she saw him, she said, "This cannot be the young man." But her elder sister said: "Yes, it is he. He hiis the fine clothes and the deer skin, and the deer- skin bag, and the little birds to light his pipe.'' But still the youiiger sister was disappointed, and then the people heard that the young man they expected had come from the east and many came to ij^ee him and watched all his movements. At* length he got his pipe, which, when it was filled, the two little birds were expected to light, but they would not for a stranger, so he said it was because there were people all around, and he must be alone. The older sister believed him. Then he told her, too: "When 1 spit it makes wampum, so s))read out a deer skin and save my spittle." So he spat many times and she did as he said and saved it up, but it never became wampum, although he did it every night. Each day he went hunting, but he killed only things not good to eat, and made the older sister, who became his wife, cook them. The younger one, however, would never go near him. Even when he commanded the little spotted deerskin bag to stand up she observed that it did not obey him.

One day she went out to the fields to husk corn, and as she finished her task she observed a man near a fire in the field. She drew near. He was fast asleep. She gazed at his face and recognized the beautiful young man, but how greatly changed! She stood for a while looking at him till he awakened. " Who are you!" she asked; " whence do you come! where are you going!" "I come," said he, "from the far east; I came only last evening.'' And he related his story, and told how nicely he had been started by his uncle, until she was quite satisfied of the truth of his story. She did not tell him she was the daughter of the chief whom he sought, but she went home and fetched food for him. She laid meat and drink before him, and while he ate she returned to her task of husking corn. Then she went home. The old fellow meanwhile had asked often, "Where is the young sister! Why does she never come to see me, or sit near whilst I smoke my pipe! May be she has found for herself a sickly man* out in the field."

At last the younger sister told the young man. who she was, and that the old man that had robbed him was in the chief's cabin and had all his fine things ; and the young man (elt better, and said, " I want my things back. 1 will make a dream. Go and tell the chief, your father, that I have dreamed a dream and tall the people must come to hear it, and I will tell how all the things the old man has are mine, and then the birds will obey, and all the things will come alive again."

Then the old chief listened to the entreaties of his youngest daughter, and called a great council and the young man told his story in the form of a dream, and when he spoke of the birds they came and filled his pipe, and the' swan skin when placed upon his head also came to life, and his spittle became wampum. So the chief knew he was the