302 THE ¢EGIHA LANGUAGE—MYTHS, STORIES, AND LETTERS. 
kept his head always covered. And the Badger’s son said as follows: “Why is my 
wife’s brother so?” “Oh! Even if I tell you, how can you do that which he desires?” 
said she. And the boy said as follows: ‘O sister, tell it to my sister’s husband.” 
And the woman said, “Oh! My dear younger brother, if I tell it to your sister’s 
husband, how can he do it? Even I have failed to harm them.” Again, after sitting 
a while, he questioned her. ‘Tell how it is,” said he. “O sister, tell it to my sister’s 
husband, I say,” said he. ‘Oh! My dear younger brother! When I tell it to your 
sister’s husband, how may he acquire it? Even I have failed to harm them,” said she. 
He asked her again. And the boy said as follows, “O sister, tell it to my sister’s 
husband.” “TI will tell it to your sister’s husband,” said she. ‘‘A woman who resembles 
me has made your wife’s brother suffer. She cut off his hair, and took it homeward.” 
And the Badger’s son said as follows: ‘‘How many are they?” And the woman said, 
“The women are four. I have been there regularly, but I have come home unsuc- 
cessful.” And he said, ‘‘ How many times do you usually sleep before you arrive there?” 
“T usually arrive there after sleeping once,” said she. ‘‘How many pairs of moccasins 
do you usually put on when you are coming?” said he. “TI usually put on two pairs of 
moceasins before I reach home,” said she. ‘And I will go thither. Make moccasins 
for me. With what is it in a straight line?” said her husband. “It is in a line with 
sunrise. I have been there regularly, but they are very watchful; therefore I have 
always come back unsuccessful,” said the woman. “But still I will go there. Though 
I will go there at any rate, even if I return unsuccessful, prepare some provisions for 
me,” said he. Sohe departed. He went, and went, and went, and went. He slept on 
the way. The next day, when the sun was low, he arrived there. Behold, the women 
danced. They beat the drum. As they took hair like that of his brother-in-law, 
they had it for dancing over it. Having arrived by creeping up on them, he stood 
looking at them. He peeped. The women stopped beating the drum. They went 
homeward to the lodge. Atlength they camein sight. They had pack-straps and axes. 
They went for wood. One woman had very white hair; one had very red; one, very 
green; and one, very yellow. Though they were approaching, they were continually 
scaring each other, and starting suddenly to flee. The Badger’s son had painted himself 
very well. He had made himself very nice-looking. He had also made his clothing 
very good. He stood leaning against a tree. The youngest sister among the women, a 
girl, came first. She found the Badger’s son. ‘Oh! elder sisters, I have found a husband 
for myself,” said she. ‘Oh! little sister, we will break wood, and my sister’s husband 
shall be on guard,” said one. They broke branches of wood. When they finished 
tying up the wood in bundles, they said, ‘‘Cause us to carry them on our backs.” “Oho! 
put the straps on the bundles. I will cause you to carry them on your backs,” said he. 
When they had put on the straps, he pulled out his bow, and killed all of the four 
women. He cut off all the hair. And when he had gone to the lodge, he seized the 
hair of his brother-in-law, and put it in his robe above the belt. He set the grass 
afire. The smoke was black. And the brother-in-law said as follows: ‘“O sister, I think 
that my sister’s son iscoming back. He has fired the grass.” “Even I have always 
failed. How is it possible for your sister’s husband to be coming home with them?” 
said she. Again he set fire to the grass. When he set fire to it, the smoke was red. 
“There is your sister’s husband, coming home with them,” said the Badger’s wife. Again 
when he had come very near, he set the grass afire. The smoke was very white. “There 
