But in spite of his words, he did not know yet for certain whether the man and woman he had killed had been the murderers of his uncles also, and that he was determined to find out. So he soon went back into the forest and began hunting again. From afar he saw smoke rising up, and he walked towards it till he came to a house. At the door was Old Mole-woman, and very old she was, but her face looked kind and honest and the boy felt he might have faith in her.
'What is it you want, grandson?' said she, politely, and the boy answered:
'I am seeking for the slayer of my uncles.'
'It is not easy to get at them,' she replied. 'It was the hawks that did it, and first you have to find their nests which are very high up, and next you must wait till the old birds go away, and only the young ones are left.'
Thus spoke Old Mole-woman, and the boy thanked her and set off to find the nests.
It took him a long time, but at length he discovered them; then he hid himself and waited till the parent birds flew off and the young ones were alone. After that, the boy came out of his hiding-place and climbed up the tree and said to the little birds:
'What do you live on?' and the little birds led him to a place that was full of human skulls, and answered, 'That is what we live on.'
'How long will your father and mother be away?' asked the boy.
'Till daybreak; but you will not be able to see them, because they come in clouds. My mother flies over the mountain in a yellow cloud, and my father in a black cloud.'
'Well, I am going now,' said the boy, 'and take care that you do not tell them that I have been here, or I will kill you.'