The day after the feast of eat-all-up there took place what Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ had said would come to pass. He had said, “I crave a smoke, and so very early tomorrow morning you, my mother-in-law, must again go around and invite your neighbors, telling them as you go from place to place that your son-in-law is about to take a smoke, and that he will then disgorge wampum beads.” Godwĕñniăʹʻdănĭʻ, the mother-in-law, replied with joy, “So let it come to pass,” and she went forth again to issue invitations to her neighbors, represented by small sticks, saying: “I extend to you hereby an invitation to come to my lodge. My son-in-law, Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ, is going to smoke, and he will then disgorge wampum beads.” So saying, she visited all her neighbors, and then she returned to her own home.
Having reached home, she said to her son-in-law, “In a short time the people will have assembled here.” Shortly after, the people began to come. They seated themselves in the lodge and became very quiet. Then the old woman, Godwĕñniăʹʻdănĭʻ, placing a bench or block of wood in the center of the room, called to her son-in-law, “Oh, my son-in-law, Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ, come hither.” At this he came forth from the place wherein the “noble” or “down-fended” maiden lived. Seating himself on the block provided by his mother-in-law, he threw over his knee the entire skin of a woman,[414] which still had the head affixed to it; the eyes winked and moved from side to side. Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ took from his pouch his pipe and filled it with tobacco. The tobacco which he used was a mixture of native tobacco, hemlock gum, spicebush bark, and red willow bark.[414a] When he placed it in his pipe this mixture emitted a very pleasant odor.
Then Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ said to his mother-in-law, “You must spread out here a tanned buckskin.” So she hastened to obey his instructions and spread a buckskin on the ground in front of him and between his feet as he sat on the block of wood. In explanation of what he was about to do, he said: “Oh, my mother-in-law, all the wampum that shall fall on this buckskin shall belong to you; but the wampum that shall fall away from this skin shall be for prizes to those of the assembly who may be able to seize it, for all will struggle to obtain some. This will take place twice, for I will draw into me the smoke several times. The first time that I draw in the smoke I will disgorge black wampum beads; but the second time I will disgorge white wampum beads. So the people may strive to obtain [[517]]some of the beads which fall away from the buckskin. This is what will take place.” After a moment’s deliberation he said to the woman’s skin, “Do thou, my human skin, light my pipe; the fire is yonder.” Thereupon the woman’s skin brought a coal from the fire and placed it in his pipe while he held it in his mouth. Then he drew in the smoke with the sound huʻkt, and then he disgorged, saying Hwuʹʼw; and the beads in falling made the sound dāʹ. His mother-in-law took up a large quantity of the beads from the buckskin. But for those beads which fell away from the buckskin the people struggled among themselves. In the strife the people created a great noise and uproar, for everyone attempted to get all that he possibly could. He who was quick was able, of course, to lay hold of the greatest quantity, and the slowest could obtain but a few of these wampum beads. Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ said, “Now this time the wampum beads will be of a black color.” His mother-in-law, as was the custom on such occasions, spread another buckskin on the ground. Then he drew in the smoke a second time and at once disgorged wampum beads which were entirely black in color; some of these fell on the buckskin and some away from it. As before, the people engaged in a lively contest for the beads which fell away from the buckskin, thus creating a great uproar. He who was active secured the most of the beads in these contests. Now Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ said, “This affair is over entirely, and all people must return to their homes.” At this all the people departed from the lodge of Godwĕñniăʹʻdănĭʼ and went to their several homes.
Things remained thus for a long time and the couple lived quietly together as husband and wife. One day Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ said to his mother-in-law: “I am now thinking that she who lives with me and I will return to the place where my uncle, my mother’s brother, dwells. I do not know whether or not he is still alive, and for this reason we two will go back there. Now, my mother-in-law, I am going to tell you what I am thinking. I am not certain in my mind that you would be willing for me to suggest that you and my old uncle should mutually care for each other. You two are fine-looking and are about the same in age and bodily condition. How is it? Will you be willing to undertake this condition?” To this the mother-in-law answered, “Oh, my son! indeed your mind and thought suit me well. What you have suggested shall come to pass as you have said, provided your uncle is still in good health and alive when we shall arrive at the place where he lives. I will accompany you two home, my daughters will remain here with my sons and they will not want for anything.” So the next morning she was fully prepared with food for the journey to the former home of her son-in-law, and Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ said to his former companions [[518]]on his journey homeward, “Let us now return to my home; and we bid you good-by.” So saying, he bade farewell to his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Then they departed on their long journey, and the bridegroom took his wife and his mother-in-law with him. They encamped on their way homeward many times. As soon as they arrived near the lodge of the young man’s uncle, Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ said to his two companions: “Stop here until I visit the lodge of my home to make a reconnoissance, for I do not know whether my uncle is yet alive or not. I will return soon.”
Thereupon he started on the run to his home. Arriving there, he found his uncle eating his midday meal. The old man quickly arose and seized the young man, saying, “Now hast thou returned? Is it thou, my nephew? Art thou Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ?” The nephew replied, “I it is, Uncle.” “Where is my daughter-in-law?” asked the old man. The nephew answered, “Oh, my uncle! she and another halted at a place not far from here, while I came here to make a reconnoissance to learn whether you were still alive or not. I am married in fact, and what is more than this, I have brought with me my mother-in-law. They two are very fine-looking women. I have thought very seriously of your age and also of the age of my mother-in-law, and you two seem suitable in this respect one for the other. I have already told her that I have thought well of having you two abide together as husband and wife. Oh, my uncle! I have now said to you what I intended to say. My mother-in-law is very thankful to me for my kindness in this matter and for my desire to make you and her happy and contented. Thus have I thought about this matter. Now will you agree to what I have proposed for your welfare?” Greatly pleased, the uncle exclaimed, “Oh, my nephew! how thankful I am for your kind effort in my behalf. Let me dress myself, and you may now bring the woman.” Delighted with the reception his uncle gave the marital proposal, Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ ran back to the place where the two women were anxiously awaiting his return. On arriving there, he exclaimed: “He lives! He lives and is in the best of health. He is eating. Let us go to him.” Thereupon they started for the lodge.
When they reached there they found the old man dressed and ready to receive them. As they entered the lodge the old man, tapping his couch several times, said gently to the mother-in-law, “Here you may abide.” She came forward and took her seat beside him, and Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ and his wife seated themselves opposite, putting the fireplace between them as was the custom for families to do in the ancient time. Then the old man said to his nephew: “I am indeed thankful that you have been able to overcome difficulties of all kinds along your path to and fro. You have heroically [[519]]braved all. Now, you must hunt, and mother and daughter shall live in contentment and peace.”
So Oñgweʻ Hañgesʹʻhäʼ spent his time in hunting. Day after day he hunted. He knew well what animals to kill. Thus it came to pass in the ancient time that they dwelt together in peace and harmony and great contentment.
This is the end of the tale.