170 THE MEXOMINI INDIANS [eth.aiik.14 



into the body of the yellow bear, killing him instantly. He then 

 severed one of the paws and carried it back to the old woman's wig- 

 wam, on entering which he threw the paw toward the old woman, 

 saying, " Here is the paw of the yellow bear which you desired in 

 order that you might recover; now use it." The old woman made no 

 response to this, but bade the younger wife of Pa'sking'iT prepare the 

 paw for her that she might eat it. She was aware by this time that 

 P;i'skine'u v was more powerful than she was, and while devising some 

 plan by which she could yet bring about his destruction, Pa.'skine'u v 

 complained that he himself was sick. This was only a ruse on his 

 part which had been suggested by his elder wife, who did not wish 

 Pii'skine'ii 7 harmed. 



After the old woman had eaten the paw of the yellow bear, she 

 asked her daughters where Pii'skine'ir' was, and was told that he was 

 lying down and complained of being very ill. The old woman was 

 alarmed lest her victim might escape her plans of destruction, and, 

 desiring to preserve him for her own vengeance, asked him what he 

 required to help his recovery. 



Pii'skine'if's elder wife whispered to him to make a request of the old 

 woman for something difficult of fulfillment; so he responded, "I have 

 at my sister's wigwam some birds, and there are among them some 

 maqkwa'niue'uk (red birds) which, if I could get to eat, would bring 

 about my recovery." The old woman had a headband and breechcloth 

 made of fox skins, which enabled her to travel with great speed, so 

 when she heard the wish of Pa'skine'u v and realized the great distance 

 she had to travel to get the birds, she was not dismayed, but said, 

 "Grandson, I shall go for the birds which you require," and hastened 

 to prepare for the journey. She called to her daughters and said, 

 "Put down the ladder that I may descend, and so soon as you see me 

 touch the earth below, draw it up that no one may molest you during 

 my absence." They theu put down the ladder and the old woman 

 descended, and as soon as they could see her running away over the 

 earth below, they pulled up the ladder, as they had been directed, and 

 returned to the wigwam. 



The old woman had a long journey before her, but her speed was 

 great, and she traveled along day after day until she approached the 

 wigwam in which dwelt the sister of Pii'skine'ir. When the old woman 

 approached near enough to the wigwam to observe the nature of the 

 surroundings, she saw on one side of the wigwam a tall post upon 

 which was perched a nest containing the red birds. On the other side 

 of the wigwam she saw the sister of Pa'skine'ir combing her hair. 

 Desiring not to be discovered, she quietly approached the pole upon 

 which the nest was built and began slowly to climb it. The move- 

 ment of the tree disturbed the birds, when they began to cry out in 

 alarm. The sister of Pa'skine'u T , hearing something unusual going on, 

 went around the wigwam where she could see the nest, and discov- 



