Old woman Lok jumped at Kékina to bite him, but he ran down her throat before she could bite; he ran out, and she caught him; again she was going to bite him, but he ran down her throat and came out. The next time he slipped down quickly; he cut her heart open, and she died.
Wus came home; they had lots of meat now, and she was glad. When spring came, little Kékina wanted to dig roots. Wus said: “Don’t go far. The Lok brothers had a great many kin. You must keep away from them.”
Kékina said: “When I find sweet roots, I want to lie down by them, and eat them; sometimes I feel like staying all night.” [[354]]
“You must be careful,” said Wus. “The Loks like the same things that you do. One might come along and eat the roots and you with them, without knowing that you were there.”
One night little Kékina didn’t come home. The next morning his brother began to hunt for him. Off on a flat he saw men digging roots; they were Loks. He went up to one of them, and asked: “Have you seen my brother?”
“No,” said Lok, “he hasn’t been here.”
He asked ever so many men, and each one said: “He hasn’t been here.” One man said: “We could eat him and not know it; for sometimes we dig up great roots with our hands, and he might be with them. There is a Lok over there; he came ahead of us. Maybe he saw your brother.”
When Kékina asked him, he said: “What makes you ask questions? I don’t want to talk,” and he started off.
Kékina followed him, and said: “Open your mouth.”
“Why should I open my mouth? I am sick. Let me alone.”