She called for one of the servants who sat among them. “One-who-moves-heaven-by-the-rapidity-of-his-motion, go and call Swimming-russet-backed-thrush. I want to ask whether I went with him.” He said that he went with the chieftainess. She asked to have him called so that she might cross-question him about it.
There was no one to have his seat under this island. Then one day passed for Stone-ribs. Another day was about to pass for him. The supernatural beings acted as if shivering. They were afraid. They feared that he, belonging to the wrong side, was going to settle beneath them.[16]
Again those standing near the door spoke. They spoke as they had done before. And One-who-moves-heaven-by-the-rapidity-of-his-motion went to call Swimming-russet-backed-thrush. By and by he came back. Then she asked him if he were coming, and he said: “He is coming.” “Perhaps I went with him at Goose creek, where I dug out wild-clover roots, or perhaps I went with him at Łg̣ē′djîs.” At that instant he came in. He was good-looking. He had been gambling. He held his hand to his face with fine cedar bark in it. He wiped part of his face clean. As soon as he went over to the chief woman he pushed himself into her blanket. She was looking at him. She looked longer than was necessary.[17]
Another day dawned for Stone-ribs. It was broad daylight for him, and the supernatural beings were as if shivering with fear at the prospect of having him settle down beneath them. Just before daylight he was driven out by the burning.
Now, after they had thought for a while, one stood up, saying: “Let them send for Sacred-one-standing-and-moving. They say that he bathed in the ocean so much in order to settle down under it.”
Then he went out of the house, threw his ribbon across again, and ran over upon it. And he said to his mother: “They are setting out to get me. You will go with me. She-upon-whose-feet-property-makes-a-noise will also go with me.” As soon as he had finished saying this, they came for him. And he said he would come by canoe by himself.
Then he went to get his wā′sg̣o skin, which he kept between the two heads of a cedar, and he put it on while he was still in the house. He walked about, too pretty to be looked at by anyone. Then they started across. His mother steered, and his sister was in the bow. He stood in the middle as they went. And his sister got off, then his mother, last himself.
They went up. His sister went ahead. She held the [duck] entrails in her hands. His mother had the feathers inside of her blanket. When he entered, the supernatural beings held their heads down to him. He looked grand. He entered wearing the wā′sg̣o skin.
And as soon as he entered he lay down underneath. He was sizzling from the fire. Again it burned at intervals. When it stopped [[195]]burning, his sister greased [his skin] with the duck grease. His mother put feathers upon it.
By and by one night was counted for him. Then the supernatural beings fastened their eyes upon him. Lo, another night was about to be counted for him. At this time the supernatural beings talked about the places where they were going to settle. They divided themselves up. At that time one among them stood up. He said: “Where is the sister of the supernatural beings, Woman-people-want-to-have, going to have her place?” “I do not know. I do not know. I shall have my place with my children a little way behind the chiefs among the trees.”[18]