“Where?” screamed the witch woman, leaping from her bed. “Here,” he replied. “I shall now build the fire and skin them.” He did this, saving the skins and throwing the carcasses into the fire. At this the witch woman screamed, “Oh, you have killed my brothers!” And the boy replied, “Did you not require this of me?” It was true, the otters were the witch woman’s wizard brothers, and they were mighty in magic. The water in which they lived was magic water and when it touched the skin of a man the flesh was eaten off, as if scalded. But Hauñwandeh was harmed not at all. He was becoming a great wizard himself.
The following night the witch woman dreamed again and when awakened by her son-in-law, required that he immediately depart and kill a great eagle that dwelt in the top of a certain tall tree, and do so before the door curtain stopped swinging from his departure. Hauñwandeh obeyed and finding the tree, shot a strong arrow at the big bird, but though he used great force in drawing the bow, the arrow paused in mid air and returned. The eagle’s magic was too great. Again he shot an arrow, commanding it to kill the eagle, and the arrow obeyed, piercing the heart of the bird. It fell to his feet, and grabbing it in haste he ran to the lodge. With a laugh he flung it in the door saying, “Here is your third brother!” “Where?” shrieked the old witch, leaping from her bed. “Right here by the fire,” answered Hauñwandeh. “I shall now skin it and burn its body.” When he had done this, the old witch was in a great rage. With all six daughters she was screaming and waving her blanket.
Hauñwandeh then beckoned to the young woman who had bewitched him. She looked frightened. “Come along,” he commanded, “this is a bad place. We are going away.”
Taking the young woman outside, he ordered her to look at the lodge, at the same time saying, “House become flint. House become heated red hot.” The house obeyed and all the witches inside perished.
Then he took the young woman to the precipice and greeting the men he had rescued said, “This young woman is said to be my wife.” So saying he tied her with bark cords and flung her over the cliff.
The entire company of restored men then followed Hauñwandeh, and he led them back to his uncle’s lodge, calling from without, said, “Hail uncle, I have returned.”
Again and again he called, and after a time he heard a voice answering, “Be away, be away from here! I shall not be deceived again by you animals!”
“I am your nephew,” called the boy. “I have returned.”
“Well, if you are my nephew thrust your hands through the hole in the curtain and grasp the door-post,” said the uncle.
The boy did as suggested and his uncle tied his arms very tightly, so that he was made prisoner. Then the uncle looked out and saw his nephew.