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“There is nothing in sight but that she will kill me, that I starve to 
death,” he thought. 
Then in time he would scarcely reach any place for which he was 
bound. At last, what a sight it was, when he slept anywhere, as he kept 
carrying the old woman on his back! Then at one time he saw a brook, 
towards evening, a brook which beavers had dammed. He went there. 
Over on yonder bank he saw some water-weeds; here and there were sticks 
of wood that had been shaped. 
“Oh, I shall go lie on yonder bank. I may as well die over there,” 
he thought. 
He found that he could barely move as he lay. 
“I had better crawl. It is plain that this old woman means to kill 
me,” he thought. 
Presently he started. He lay down by the side of the dam. It was 
dark now. He kept crawling. When he had almost reached the bank, he 
could go no farther. 
“Oh, tomorrow I shall get there,” he thought. 
Then he saw a man; he wore his clothes with the fur on the outside; 
he was clumsy in his movements; as he came, carrying a club in his hand, 
she whom he was carrying on his back, suddenly began to wriggle and 
squirm. 
“Pray do come here, brother-in-law!” said he who was carrying the 
old woman. 
He came. He knew that she feared this person. 
“Ho, how is it, brother-in-law, that you carry this old woman on 
your back?” 
“Alas, brother-in-law! Do try to free me!” 
“Why, brother-in-law! But all you have to do is club her, if she will 
not let go of you!” 
“Oh, grandchild, take pity on me! Please let me live! Your brother- 
in-law will be engaging in contests again. I shall give him things to use. 
He will defeat people with what I shall give him. Please let me live, 
grandchild!” she said to him. 
Accordingly, “Yes! Do not try to deceive my brother-in-law. If you 
try to deceive him, without fail I shall hear it. Now then, let him go!” 
She let go of him. 
Then, “Here, brother-in-law! Eat this!” his brother-in-law said to 
him. 
He ate one berry; he was in flesh again; he was strong again. Then 
she gave him two needles, and two awls, and a small stone; three gifts. 
“There, grandchild, you will be engaging in contests again!” the 
old woman told him who had carried her about. 
“Thanks!” 
Thereupon the old woman went back home. And he who was clumsy in 
his ways went to marry the elder sister of him he had met. 
So the latter went on, the next morning. When he came to a place 
where the land was level and wooded, presently, as he was walking along, 
two women came into sight, 
“Hey there, sweetheart, stand still! Whichever gets there first, 
her you will marry; whichever is beaten, will have your younger brother 
for husband,” he was told. 
