When the boys reached the point whence they must descend they assumed the size and form of fleas, and, using the seed heads of the dandelion as parachutes, they easily floated down from cloudland to the earth. Going directly to the lodge of their uncle, they returned to him his eyes. He was delighted beyond measure when he found that his nephews had been successful in their expedition and had so speedily brought back his eyes.
The lads had killed the baby in cloudland by means of potent drugs given them by their uncle while they were still on the earth. Before starting their uncle had told them not to fail to put this deadly drug on the baby, for he knew that the child was the life itself of the great witch, Gahoⁿʻdjiʼdāʹʻhoⁿk. Through its death the witch herself necessarily died, because the child was her life, not her baby, as it appeared to be. Thus, Gahoⁿʻdjiʼdāʹʻhoⁿk was destroyed and the young deanoäʹdoⁿʼ man at last was revenged on her, partly through the potent orenda of his nephews and partly by means of the potent “medicine” with which he had armed them before they had started on their expedition into cloudland.
115. The Legend of the Misogamist
In ancient days, it is said, there lived a good mother and her son in a lodge that stood alone. Now, the son was a very successful hunter; in the chase of all kinds of game animals he had no competitor. The possession of an overflowing larder and of rare and excellent furs and skins gave him an enviable prestige among his people.
It was natural among a hunter people that the prowess of the young man in the chase should make him an attractive figure in the eyes of all the mothers among his people who had marriageable daughters. So these thrifty mothers urged their daughters to make the usual marriage bread and to go to his lodge with proposals of marriage. Each of these obedient daughters would say: “Indeed, I believe that thou and I should marry.” This was the address made to the young man after the young woman had set her basket of marriage bread before him, seated, to receive her. In replying, the young man would say to each: “In so far as I am concerned it is my [[556]]settled purpose not to marry anyone, as I have no desire to do so.” Thereupon the young woman, having failed in her suit, would return to her home.
This pursuit of the young man by the marriageable daughters of the community continued for many seasons. As each maiden came with her proposal of marriage the youth invariably made the same answer. During all this time his mother continued to remonstrate with him on account of his firm resolution not to marry, telling him repeatedly that it was a well-known fact that one who acted as he was doing would surely be punished for his attitude by some great calamity. He refused, however, to listen to her remonstrances.
Now, it was his custom to go every autumn to hunt in the forest, and he would return home with great quantities of venison and other meat, and furs and skins. All the people who had none of these things came to the lodge where the mother and son lived together because they wished to trade for some of the meat or for some of the furs or skins, each one bringing therefor something of value. One would bring a bracelet, saying: “For this cut me off a small portion of meat of the bear, of venison, or of some other kind.” Another would bring a burden strap, saying: “For this give me the skin of a beaver, or a small portion of bear’s meat, for I have come to buy.” This trading continued for some years, and all kept saying of the young man: “He is indeed immune to adverse orenda.”
After a while another autumn came, and again he started alone on a hunting trip into the forests where he knew game was always abundant and in which it was his custom to camp for the season. Having reached the place where his hunting lodge stood, he proceeded at once to repair it and to supply it with suitable fuel and other necessities. Then he went forth to hunt, as was his custom. He was very successful, returning every day to camp with the game he had killed.
After a certain number of days thus spent he lay down one night to rest, as usual. But in the middle of the night it so happened that he moved about in his bed, and he was greatly surprised by feeling what seemed to be a woman lying beside him. No one had ever slept with him before, man or woman. Thereupon the surprised misogamist said: “Lo, who are you?” The young woman, for such she was, in a fascinating voice which thrilled the heart of the young man, replied: “Oh! I desired to visit the place where you are only because of the love which I have for you.” Saying this softly, she threw her arms around his neck and fervently embraced him. He remained perfectly quiet, making no protest against the fondling of the beautiful maiden. Without further ceremony the young woman joyously exclaimed: “Come now! let us two go to sleep again.” But the young man lost consciousness at once, and the last thing he remembered [[557]]were the words of the young woman. It was after the dawn of day that he awoke. Uncovering his head, he found that he was quite alone, and that, in fact, the young woman was not anywhere around. He was greatly astonished at what had happened, and said to himself in wonder: “What is this that has befallen me? Now, indeed, has come to pass perhaps what my dear mother has been saying to me, for has she not kept telling me that I would be punished sooner or later for my unreasoning attitude toward those who have desired to marry me. Now I shall start for my home, for I am seized with fear.”