Then he went to the old man. “Grandfather, they are coming to me by sea.” “What do the canoe bows look like?” “The edges of the sky come burning.” “Alas! Alas! I wonder what will happen. Now, brave man, scatter the bones of the town people about in front of the town and stand the sides and ends of the grave boxes on their edges in front of the houses. People always endeavor to stop it that way, brave man.”
And, after it had come along burning for a while, it came to the human bones. After some time had passed it burned through. It burned through in another place. By and by it came landward faster, without having been stopped. When it reached the sides and ends of the grave boxes it stopped there also.
He put on his five blankets and put his mother in his armpit. His wife he put in the knot in his hair. Then he walked about behind [the boxes]. After some time those were also thrown down by the fire. Immediately he started off. [[231]]
After he had gone toward the middle of this island for a while, something said to him: “This way, grandson; my house is strong.” At once he turned thither. He entered the house and sat down. While he sat there the noise of burning sounded on top of his house. After a while a red hole was burned through the roof of his house. Then they pulled him up. They struck him from behind with their fists. When he bent over to go out one of his blankets was burned off. That was Fallen-tree-lying-with-one-end-in-the-water whose house he was in.
After he had gone on for a while [something said]: “This way, grandson; my house is strong.” Then he entered and sat down. The roof of that was also burned through. Then they pushed him out. When he was burned another blanket was burned off. That was Yellow-cedar’s house, they say.
After he had run for some time longer something else called to him, “This way, grandson; my house is strong.” He entered and sat down. After it had burned on the roof of the house for a while there was again a red hole there. Then they pushed him out. Another one was lost. That was Yew’s house, they say.
After he had run about something else called him in. “Come in, grandson; my house is strong.” And he went in and sat down. After he had sat there a while there was again a red hole in the house. Then they pushed him out. Another blanket was burned off. This was Spruce’s[24] house, they say.
And, after he had gone some time longer, something called him in. “This way, grandson; my house is strong.” He entered and sat down. After he had sat there for a while there was another red hole in the roof of the house. Then they drove him out with their fists. When he bent down to go out, a blanket was burned off. His mother was also burned away. That was Rock’s house, they say.
And, after he had gone on a while longer, something else called him in, “This way, grandson; my house is very strong.” Then he went in and sat down. The noise of fire was heard on the roof for a while, and, when it stopped, he went out. That was Swamp’s house, they say.
After he had wandered about upon this island for a while he heard the sound of a hammer. He went thither. Lo! an old man was repairing a canoe with cedar limbs. Where it had not had a crack he split it with his wedge. He made holes about this with his gimlet and sewed the place together again.