“Put your head on my lap,” said each Ichpul sister to each of Sukonia’s wives.
Each was afraid, but still put her head on the old maid’s lap. The Ichpul sisters killed Sukonia’s wives, flayed their bodies, and put their skins on themselves.
About sunset next day the two frog women went to Sukonia’s house; went in and sat where Jahtaneno’s daughters had always sat; took the place of Sukonia’s wives; looked just like them because they had their skins on.
About dusk Sukonia came home from the hunt. Chikpitpa, who ran ahead, rushed into the sweat-house to see if his sisters-in-law had come back from their father’s. He saw the two women, looked at them; they seemed like his sisters-in-law, but when he came near he cried out at once,—
“Phu! they smell like frogs! The Ichpul sisters are here: these are the frog old maids!”
He cried and ran out to meet his brother.
“Brother,” said he, “the Ichpul women are in our house. They killed my sisters-in-law to-day. I know they did.” And he kept crying, “They killed my sisters-in-law, they killed my poor sisters-in-law!” and he cried without stopping, cried bitterly.
The two old maids wearing the skins of Sukonia’s wives were making acorn porridge. When it was almost ready, Sukonia looked at the two women. They seemed like his wives, and he was in doubt, till all at once he thought: “I will ask them to bring water from the spring. If they know where the water is, they are my wives; if not, they are false.”
“Bring me water, my wife,” said he to one of the women.
She stood up, took a water basket, turned toward the door, and said to Chikpitpa, “Come out with me for water, my little brother-in-law.”