HEWi'^] FICTION 267 



obey him. You are too foolish. You took the other man when I 

 knew that he was not the right one. So you should not go." But 

 when the young man was ready to start she cried like a child to be 

 permitted to go; and finally her younger sister said, "Go, if you will 

 obey him in everj'thing." Although he did not accept her as his 

 wife, she followed him into the forest. He chose the place of their 

 lodge. When it was ready he told her to lie down and cover her 

 head, and not to look out until he should call her. Then he began 

 to sing, " Now, all you wild beasts, come here to this place." With 

 a terrifying sound they came from all directions, leaping and gam- 

 boling as they rushed onward. The young man sang all the time. 

 But the woman, becoming afraid of being trampled to death, peeped 

 out to see what was going on. As she did so one of the larger ani- 

 mals, running up to the young man, said Ho, ho, ho! and then 

 carried him off on its back. Frightened, the sister-in-law leaped up 

 and ran home. When she arrived there her younger sister said, 

 " Where is my husband ? " " The animals carried him off," came the 

 answer. Thereupon the younger sister replied : " I told you that 

 you are too foolish to go to such a place, and I did not want you to 

 accompany him. Now see what you have done." 



Distracted with grief, the young wife hastened to the place where 

 her husband was wont to hunt. There she could see the tracks 

 around and could also hear her husband's voice far in the distance 

 singing, "I am deceived by my sister-in-law." Knowing just what 

 she must do, she called the white deer to come to her aid. Obeying 

 her pleading, the white deer"* in a moment was at her side. Ad- 

 dressing it, she said, " I wish to borrow your coat at once." The 

 white deer answered, " If you will place my body in a safe place and 

 take good care of me, I will gladly lend it to you." The young wife 

 consenting willingly to the conditions, the white deer lent her its 

 coat. Thereupon she placed the deer's body in a safe place, covering 

 it carefully so that it could not be found. Quickly putting on the 

 coat, she became at once a beautiful white deer; then she ran swiftly 

 after the animals, passing first the hedgehog, a slow runner; then 

 one after another. As she passed each would call out, Hai, hat, 

 hai! It would seem that they were becoming tired. They thought 

 that she was a deer, and that she would help them. Her husband 

 was carried first by one, then by another animal. It was while he was 

 on the bear's back that she overtook him. Leaving the bear, the 

 young husband leaped on the back of the white deer, whereupon off 

 she ran ahead of all the other animals. Making a large circuit, she 

 returned to the place where she had left the body of the white deer. 

 There she became herself again, and giving back the deer its coat, all 

 returned home in good condition and lived happily. 



