The basket net had been partly broken by the alligator, but Aura mended it and again entered the forest. But before long he heard the cuckoo call, and much louder this time, so he ran like the wind, fitting an arrow to his bow as he went. On the lake-bank stood a beautiful Indian maiden in a gown that looked like silver, and she was weeping bitterly. At that Aura’s heart was touched with pity, for he could see no living thing unhappy and remain happy himself. Gently he took her by the hand and asked her to tell him her name.
“Anu-Anaitu,” she said, and smiled through her tears like the sun after a summer rain.
“From where do you come?” was his next question.
“Far, far away, where the great owl lives,” she made reply, and pointed in the direction of the dark forest.
“And who is your father?” he asked, and at that there was a ripple of water rings on the lake and Aura thought he saw the nose of the alligator.
But she made no answer to his question. Instead, she covered her face with her hands and bent her head, so that her hair fell about her like a cloud.
Seeing her strange grief Aura said no more, but led her to his mother who received her kindly, and for many months the three of them dwelt together very happily. Yet whenever Anaitu thought of her father, she wept bitterly.
At last there came a day when Aura asked the maiden to be his wife and told her that if she would give him her hand, the two of them would make a journey to her own land so that she might say farewell to her people, telling them that she had made her home in a land of peace and brightness with those who loved her. Hearing that, little Anaitu wept with terror, telling Aura of the fearful journey that would be theirs, through a place where were great bats and gray hairy spiders and centipedes, and harmful and fearful things.
“Then stay with my mother and I shall go alone,” said Aura, seeing her fear. “And I will seek out your father and tell him that all is well with you.”
“That is worse still,” cried the maiden, “for there is an evil spirit in my land and my father is bewitched. Seeing you, he will destroy you and your mother and me as well, once he learns where we are.”