LIFE AND LOVE RETURN 295 



But the One who made us ... The Great Mystery . . . 

 The Master of Life . . . made us right. The man has his 

 work to do, and the woman has hers. The man must hunt and 

 kill animals, and the woman must skin and dress them. The 

 man must always stand by her and she by him. The two to- 

 gether are strong . . . and there is no need of outside 

 assistance. Remember . . . my grandchildren . . . 

 you are starting out together that way . . ." 



To illustrate his meaning, he held up two fingers parallel, 

 and added: 



"If your tracks fork . . . they will soon be as far 

 apart as sunrise is from sunset . . . and you will find 

 many ready to come in between. Carry on in the way you 

 have begun ... for that is the way you should end. And 

 remember ... if your tracks once fork . . . they 

 will never come together again . . . my grandchildren 

 . . . I have spoken." 



After Little Pine's father, as well as several of the guests, had 

 made their remarks, Naudin, Neykia's mother, rose to address 

 her daughter. Overcome with nervousness, she pulled her 

 shawl so far over her face as to leave only a tiny peep-hole 

 through which to look. Hesitatingly she began: 



"My daughter, you never knew what trouble is, now you 

 will know. You never knew what hard work is, now you will 

 soon learn. Never let your husband want for anything. 

 Never allow another woman to do anything for him; if you 

 do ... you are lost. When you have children, my 

 daughter, and they grow up, your sons will always be sons to 

 you, even though they be gray-headed. But with your daugh- 

 ters it will not be so; when they marry, they will be lost to 

 you. Once married, they are gone for ever." 



She stepped up to her daughter, kissed her, and sank to the 

 floor, weeping copiously. 



Then Amik rose to speak. He beckoned to his daughter. 



