VII 

 LIFE AND LOVE RETURN 



HYMEN COMES WITH SPRING 



"My son, it is ever thus, when spring is on the way," 

 miled Oo-koo-hoo, as Granny entered with glee and displayed 

 a new deerskin work-bag, containing needles, thread, thimble, 

 and scissors; a present from Shing-wauk — The Little Pine — 

 Neykia's lover. 



"Now that Spring and Love are going to hunt together," 

 further remarked the Indian, "the snow will run away, and the 

 ice begin to tremble when it hears the home-coming birds 

 singing among the trees. Ah, my son, it reminds me of the 

 days of my youth," sighed The Owl, "when I, too, was a lover." 



"Tell me," I coaxed. 



" It was many years ago, at the New Year's dance at Fort 

 Perseverance that I first met Ojistoh. She was thirteen then, 

 and as beautiful as she was young. . . . No; I shall never 

 forget those days . . . When she spoke her voice was as 

 gentle as the whispering south wind, and when she ran she 

 passed among the trees as silently and as swiftly as a vanishing 

 dream; but now," added Oo-koo-hoo, with a sly, teasing glance 

 at his wife, "but now look at her, my son . . . She is 

 nothing but a bundle of old wrinkled leather, that makes a noise 

 like a she-wolf that has no mate, and when she waddles about 

 she goes thudding around on the split end of her body — like a 

 rabbit with frozen feet." 



But Granny, saying never a word, seized the wooden fire- 

 poker, and dealt her lord and master such a vigorous blow 



255 



