Then a strange sound was heard in their lonely little lodge—the crying of a child. Half fearfully, half curiously, the old couple lifted the lid of the kettle, and there within was a little baby boy.
"He shall bring us good luck," said the old Indian.
They called the child Kutoyis—that is, 'Drop of Blood'—and wrapped him up as is customary with Indian babies.
"Let us tell our son-in-law," said the old man, "that it is a little girl, and he will let it live. If we say it is a boy he will surely kill it."
Kutoyis became a great favourite in the little lodge to which he had come. He was always laughing, and his merriment won the hearts of the old people. One day, while they thought him much too young to speak, they were astonished to hear his voice.
"Lash me up and hang me from the lodge pole," said he, "and I shall become a man."
When they had recovered from their astonishment they lashed him to the lodge pole. In a moment he had burst the lashings and grown before their eyes into a tall, strong man. Looking round the lodge, which seemed scarcely large enough to hold him, Kutoyis perceived that there was no food about.
"Give me some arrows," said he, "and I will bring you food."
"We have no arrows," replied the old man, "only four arrow-heads."