“But, my son,” the father entreated, “the animals will hear you,—will hear your boasting and out of revenge will slay you.”
“No, I think not, father,” he replied, “for no animal can outrun me, not a beast in all this forest.”
“Son!” the father spoke gravely, “think wisely and hold your tongue. The winds will steal your words for mischief and the magically endowed animals will know it. Then, my son,—then I shall lose you!”
“Father,” replied the son, “I shall ever boast if speaking truth is boasting!”
The father continued his warnings but Hahyennoweh only laughed and bounded back into the forest.
One evening Hahyennoweh came home after an exciting race and began again to boast his prowess. Sadly the father looked at him, and said sorrowfully, “Son, again I bid you to cease your boasting. Evil will befall you for I feel it.” But the son was asleep.
A knock sounded at the door and the father pushed aside the bear skin curtain saying, “Dahdjoh!” “Gahdjih!” said a voice and the father went out. A stranger stepped from a shadow.
“I have come,” said he, “to tell you that the animals have heard your son’s voice. They have heard his audacious voice and his unseemly boasting. They have felt his knife and died. They have chosen me and I have come to him. I have come to tell him he must race me. I am the chosen one to race him from the sunrise to the sunset. We race the way the sun goes. If I win, then I shall kill him. If I lose then he shall slay me. Tell him he must meet me at the windfall.”
Awaking, the son heard the voices outside and when the father pushed aside the curtain to re-enter he began to question him. The father’s brow was wrinkled, his cheek had a gray color. He had sorrow in his voice.
He spoke “My son, you are all I have and you have loudly boasted about running swiftly. Did you not hear my advising words of caution? Did you not hear my entreaties? Nia’´gwahē has been here and spoken to me. You have heard our talk together. You will be hurt by him. Hahyennoweh! My only son I believe that you will perish!”