Page:The art of story-telling, with nearly half a hundred stories, y Julia Darrow Cowles .. (IA artofstorytellin00cowl).pdf/82

 or by the pure white light of great diamonds. This was the magic belt of Itakempka.

The blind women bade Ithenthiela welcome and said to him:

"Tell us, Ithenthiela, when you are about to leave, so that we may bid you good-by."

Now, Ithenthiela had noticed that each of the old women had behind her back a knife of copper, long and sharp and gleaming; and that one sat on either side of the door, waiting.

"Ah!" thought he, "when I leave they mean to kill me. But, I shall fool them."

In one part of the wigwam lay a muska-*moot, or bag, of bones and feathers. To this he tied a string, which he pulled over the pole above the door. Then, said he:

"I am going now, Blind Women. Remember that I am old and fat, and when I leave I make much noise."

With this he pulled the string, whereat the bag of bones and feathers trundled toward the door. Immediately the two old hags stabbed; but striking only feathers, the long knife of each passed through the bag into the body of the other, and both were killed.

Then Ithenthiela took the precious belt