For the chief and the chief’s wife each they drew the figures of cumulus clouds upon ten clam shells. As many mussel shells were [[156]]inside of these. He had ten drawn for the elder [son] and he had ten drawn for the younger. The town people who were going away all gathered ten apiece [for the men] and five apiece for the women. And after they had got through gathering them they waited for the two sons who had gone off to marry. They got tired of waiting for them because they wanted to restore their sister. The town people had everything ready and were awaiting them.
The elder got home at midday. His hair was fastened with cedar limbs. “Mother, I have brought a wife to you. She stands outside. Go out and get her.” So he spoke to his mother: “Oh! my child has come.” She looked outside, and a woman stood there having curly hair parted and large eyes. This was Mouse-woman.
After the youngest had been away for a while, he, too, came back at midday. He came in, his hair fastened with a small fern. Hai hi hi hi hi⁺⁺⁺.[14] “Mother, I bring a wife to you. She stands outside. Go out and get her.” A wonderful person stood there. She was too powerful to look at. Something short with curly hair and a copper blanket [stood there]. “Chief-woman, come in.” She did not wish to enter. “She does not wish to come in. She positively refuses, my child; your wife positively refuses.” “Why! she goes by contraries,” he said to her as he stood up. He went out to his wife, came in with her, and sat down.
Next day, very early, they went off. The town people all started out together upon the ocean. The elder son’s wife sat up on one of the seats, and the younger one’s wife concealed herself inside. She (the former) sat up high to look after those who were starting off. She always kept her small wooden box with her wherever she turned. When they were all afloat she hunted in it and took out a bone awl. And she put it into the water. The water rushed aside as it cut through. In behind it they placed the canoe. The bone awl began to tow them along.
After they had been towed along, along, along, along, along for a while, they came in sight of a broad band of smoke from a town. Some distance from the town the elder brother’s wife told them all to land. She talked to them. The elder brother had married Mouse-woman so that they might follow her directions.
They stopped at this place, and she had them cut long sticks. They got two poles at this place. The younger brother’s wife hid herself, but the elder brother’s wife commanded the voyagers. The ten canoes were still, and along the front of the bows and midway of the canoes they put the sticks. They fastened them to thwarts by winding ropes around them.[15] That was finished. Then they started for the front of the town.
They stopped in front of the chief’s house, and one came out of the chief’s house. “Wait, they direct you to remain still. They are [[157]]going to dance in front of you.” After they had remained there for a while, they forgot themselves. Then they came to themselves lying on top of the retaining planks. In the place where they woke up they untied themselves. They also untied the poles that had been fastened upon the canoes.
On top of the retaining planks they spread out mats. There were crowds of people there on each side on the ten retaining planks. The chief’s child was not there, the one they came after. Only her husband sat there. Then they spread out two mats in front of the place where he sat. In front of him the ten canoe loads of people laid their clam shells. They filled the house up to the very roof. Now they laid the hat on top of all. They gave it back to him.
“Come! send for my father. Tell him to hurry.” Then a youth started on the run. “Is he coming?” “He is close by.” Whiu-u-u-u (sound of wind). The house moved. The earth, too, shook. Of all the visitors who sat in circles not one looked up. But, while they hung their heads, the younger brother’s wife raised hers up. Then she looked toward the rear of the house and toward the door. “Hold up your heads. Have you, also, no power?” she said.
By and by the house shook again, and the ground with it. X̣u-u-u. The people in the house again hung their heads. Now she said again “Hold your heads up. Have you, too, no supernatural power?” At the same time he came in and stood there. Something wonderful came in and stood there. His large eyelids were too powerful to look at. Where he placed his foot he stood for awhile. When he took another step the earth and the house shook. When he took another step and the house and the earth shook, all of the people hung their heads; but she (the youngest’s wife) said to them, “Hold your heads up.” When she said it louder the supernatural power that had entered took hold of his head. “Stop! mighty supernatural woman that you are.” After that he came in. Nothing happened.[16] He sat down near his son.