When they came near to the place where they had gone to get cedar bark, the younger brother’s wife and the elder brother’s wife sat upright. And they said: “Move shoreward.” Now they got off there. They had sticks in their hands, and they hunted in the sand with them from the sea inland. By and by they dug out the bones of a human being in front of a tree at the edges of the grass. The canoes floated on the water in front of them. Their husbands were looking at them.
Mouse-woman took out her box. Sqäg̣ał’s daughter, too, took out her box. Sqäg̣ał’s daughter brought out of her box a mat with edges [[165]]like clouds. Mouse-woman took out something from her box also and bit off a part. Now they put the mat over her and began to rattle her bones under it. Underneath this Mouse-woman spit many times. Then they (i.e., Mouse-woman) told Sqäg̣ał’s daughter to hurry: “Quick, hasten your mind, noble woman.” Then she, too, said: “It is [for you to do so], noble woman. You had better hurry yourself; it is getting late.” Then she pulled off the mat. Ah! their mother-in-law got up. He looked at his mother; both [boys], in fact, [did so].
They had her get into the canoe of the younger and went up with the tide to Gunwa, their father’s town. The younger brother’s wife hid her mother-in-law. They were anxious to see how their [supposed] mother would act when they arrived. When they got near the town, the wife of the younger ordered the canoes to be brought close together. The town was thrown into commotion. They reported to each other that the chief’s son and his younger brother, who had gone away, had both married. The people who came down to meet them were like warriors going to fight. In front came his mother putting her belt on as she ran to carry up the things. She acted differently from the others.
Then the elder brother’s canoe landed first, and Sqäg̣ał’s daughter stood near the basket. “Come hither, woman. Carry up my basket.” Then she went to it and was going to carry it with the strings around her head. Sqäg̣ał’s daughter prevented her. She wished her to carry it the right way [with the straps around her breast]. When she carried it, the weight made her stagger as she went up. She got into the house with it. How huge it was! Afterward they at once carried up the other things.
After they had pulled up the canoe, the younger one’s canoe also came to the shore. A big basket was in it, the strings on which were just like a knife. Mouse-woman stood near it. Then she called her mother-in-law from the place where she was carrying things up. “Come hither, woman. Carry up my basket.” Then her mother-in-law came to her, and was about to put the basket strings around her head. But [the other] forbade her. And she did as she was told.
When she started to carry it up the strings cut her head off. Her head lay at some distance. At once Mouse-woman took a whetstone out of her box, quickly got ashore, and put it between her head and her trunk, which were drawing together. After she had ground herself to pieces foam was piled up on either side.
Now she let out her mother-in-law. At that time they came down in a crowd and got her. They did it because they were glad to see her. To kill her mother-in-law was the purpose for which Mouse-woman let herself marry the boy. A crowd of people carried the property up. Then she said to her husband: “Leave me. I married [[166]]you to restore your mother to life.” At once she pushed the canoe off and vanished downstream with the current. There was no trace of her left.
After that the elder brother’s wife lived as a chief’s wife. Then she became pregnant, Sqäg̣ał’s daughter did. She bore a boy. Again she was pregnant. She bore another boy. [She bore seven boys.] There was one girl.
Sqäg̣ał’s children made their town at Qꜝadō′, opposite Metlakahtla. Their mother and their sister lived with them. All eight went out to a beaver pond to hunt. When they had at length come to the lake, and had made a hole in one end of the dam, a stick was carried into the shoulder of the eldest by the force of the current. He died there.
Then they went away. And at midnight they came behind the house. Then they sent out the youngest and gave him the following directions: “Speak to our mother. And also watch your elder brother’s wife. She must be unfaithful to him. She must be going with another man. That is why our brother is [dead].”