^fw"^] FICTION 103 



the westward. The next day she took medicine, which caused an 

 abortion, resuUing in delivery of two bear cubs. Leaving them on 

 the ground, she cut off her breasts and hung them on an ironwood 

 tree. 



A couple of days later the father said to the elder boj', " I think I 

 must go after your motlier; you stay in the lodge and take care of 

 your little brother." Then he brought a bowl of water and put 

 feathers in it, saying, " If anything evil happens to me the feathers 

 will be bloody." 



He started west. The first day he found the cubs and breasts on 

 the ironwood tree, which he knew came from his wife. 



After leaving the cubs the woman went on until she came to a 

 village. She stopped in the first lodge at the edge of the village, 

 where a family of Crows lived. The woman said that she was looking 

 for a place to live, and, being a young woman, would like to get 

 a husband. The old Ci'ow said to one of his sons : " Run over to the 

 chief's lodge, and tell him that there is a young woman here who 

 would liiie to get married. Perhaps one of his sons would like to 

 have her." The boy did as directed. "All right," said the chief, 

 " let her come over here." The woman went over. She had her hair 

 pulled back and tied tight at the back so there were no wrinkles on 

 her face, and as her breasts were cut off, she looked like a young 

 woman. One of the chief's sons married her. 



Two days later her husband appeared at the lodge of the Crows, 

 asking whether they had seen such and such a woman. " I have come 

 looking for my wife, who left me four days ago," said the man. " Yes, 

 such a woman came here two days ago. She is married to one of the 

 chief's sons." " Go over," said the Gagahgowa ^^ to one of his sons, 

 " and tell the chief that his daughter-in-law's husband has come." 

 The young Crow went over and delivered the message. " Have you 

 ever been married before? " asked the chief of his daughter-in-law. 

 " No," replied the woman. " Then he lies," said the chief to the 

 Crow's son. Turning to some of the warriors, he said : " We do not 

 want such a fellow as that hanging around; go over and kill him." 

 The warriors went over to the Crow's house, killed the man, and threw 

 his body away. 



Immediately the feathers in the bowl were bloody, and the boy 

 knew that his father was dead. The next day he started westward, 

 carrying his little brother on his back. Following the trail, they 

 found the two cubs lying on the ground. Then the little fellow on 

 the cradle-board looked at them, then at the breasts on the tree, and 

 he knew that they belonged to his mother. They went on until 

 they reached the Crow's lodge, where they inquired, " Have you 

 seen our father, who came after our mother? " "Oh, yes; the chief 

 has killed your father, and your mother is at the chief's lodge. She 



