He set to work at once making up his pack and putting the lodge in order for his departure. When he had completed his preparations he started for home.
At the end of the day’s journey he camped for the night in the place where he usually stopped for this purpose. After kindling a hot fire in the temporary shelter he set to work warming some pieces of cold meat which he had brought with him, and then sat down to eat his supper. When he had finished his meal he made ready to rest for the night. It was quite dark, for the evening was then far spent. As he sat resting he was suddenly surprised to hear noises that seemed to draw nearer and nearer. He could plainly hear the sounds, sāʻʹ, sāʻʹ, sāʻʹ, and also sounds caused by the moving aside and breaking of sticks and small twigs, and the branches of trees falling. Seized with a great fear, he at once added small dry sticks to the fire, which blazed up, giving a great light, which enabled him to see whether anything was approaching his shelter. Suddenly he saw standing at the end of the illumined space a very large woman. After a moment’s hesitation she came up to the opposite side of the fire and, addressing the now thoroughly frightened young man, said: “It is just this: I have come here with the desire that you should give me a portion of meat.” To look at her one would have thought that she was in all respects a human being, as she stood gazing toward the youth. As quickly as possible he took from his pack a quarter of meat, which he heaved over the fire toward the woman, who caught it. Then she began to eat it, while the blood dripped down on her breast and over her garments. Thus she ate up a quarter of meat. When she had finished she said: “The only thing for you to do is to return to this place in the autumn, when the season changes again.” So saying, she turned at once and started away, leaving the young man more astonished than ever. Soon she was lost to view in the darkness.
Thereupon the youth was seized with great fear, and he kept saying to himself: “Now indeed has been fulfilled the saying of my dear mother; I am suffering the penalty which she told me would befall for my refusal to marry some of the marriageable daughters [[558]]of my people. But with it all, I think that when I have returned home I shall not relate what has befallen me on this trip. Moreover, in case some shall say to me, ‘Let us marry,’ I will consent at once.” Of course he did not fall asleep during the entire night. Very early in the morning he ate some cold meat, and then taking up his pack, he started for home. Having arrived there, he hung his pack on the wall of the lodge. His mother said: “I am thankful for this.” Noticing a changed expression on his face, she said to him: “Lo, pray what has befallen you, since you have returned so soon after your departure?” The son replied: “Something unusual happened, it would seem. I became homesick; this is the reason that I returned home at once.”
During the time that the son was away hunting many women visited the mother, who were continually asking her consent to a marriage with him. So now the mother said to him: “I will tell you that three maidens paid me visits, who proposed marriage with you; these maidens you know well, as they are the three who have been the most insistent on marrying you. So now it is for you to choose which of these three, or if not one of these, then whom are you willing to marry? I do not know what may happen should you again find it impossible to consent to marry one of these maidens.” At once the son replied: “I will consent to taking one of these maidens in marriage. I will marry without further ado.” He then informed his mother which of the maidens he would marry, for he well knew the names of all those who had come to his mother’s lodge with their baskets of marriage bread. This answer greatly pleased his mother, who said to him: “It is indeed the right thing for you to do, for many women have come here to ask you to marry them. Now I will bring here the chosen one.” So saying, she went at once to the lodge of the maiden of his choice.
On entering the lodge of the maiden she greeted her and her mother, and, after informing them of the purpose of the visit, said to the former: “I have come after you to bring you to our lodge and fire. My son has consented to marry you; so you will accompany me home, and you it will be who will dwell with her spouse’s people.” The maiden, agreeing to the proposition, said: “So let it be; I am willing to marry him.” Thereupon the two returned to the lodge of the mother of the young man, the misogamist. They reached the lodge, and, on entering it, the mother said to her son: “I have brought with me her who is my daughter-in-law. Now I will speak a few words: Oh, my child! you must continue to love her; you must have compassion for her; never vex her in mind or body; never let it be said that you are one of those who kill their spouses. Some grasp them by the hair of the head to abuse them; never do you thus. I am through.” This speech she addressed to her son. [[559]]
The maiden remained there one entire year, and she properly fulfilled the duties of a good wife. A little later she gave birth to a daughter. The child was very handsome, and she was also very large and healthy and strong. In all respects she was of the size and hardiness of a child who was large enough to be borne on the back in a cradle board.
Now the time had arrived in which the men who were capable of doing so severally went out to their hunting grounds—autumn had come. One day the young man said: “My dear mother, you will prepare provisions for a journey, for I am again going out to hunt, and I am thinking of having my wife accompany me, as the child is sufficiently strong and hardy to be borne on her mother’s back in a cradle board. I will bear by means of the forehead strap the provisions that we will take with us.”
Then the mother proceeded to prepare the corn bread in the usual way, and the parched corn meal sweetened with honey or maple sugar. When the bread was cooked she removed it from the boiling water and set to work preparing the pack, in which she placed all the bread, making what was called a wrapped pack. When she informed her son that she had completed the task of preparing the food for the journey, he said: “Tomorrow, very early in the morning, we two will start on our journey.”
Accordingly next morning the husband and wife set out. The wife bore their child on her back by means of the cradle board and forehead strap, and the husband carried the wrapped pack, containing boiled corn bread and parched corn meal mixed with sugar and honey, by means of the forehead strap. After traveling all day, in the evening they reached a spot where it was the custom of the husband to camp for the night; this was a good day’s journey from their lodge. He set to work at once repairing the temporary shelter and kindling a large fire. Meanwhile the young wife warmed up some cold meat and the boiled corn bread which they had brought in the pack. Their evening meal prepared, the two ate heartily. When they had finished their supper they made ready a rude couch of bark and boughs on which they lay down for the night. The wife’s mind was contented.
In the morning the husband rekindled the fire, and the wife warmed up more of the cold boiled corn bread. When they had eaten their fill the husband at once repacked their belongings. He also closed the temporary shelter in order to preserve it for their return. Then he said to his wife: “Now let us depart. Our journey will require fully the time of the entire day, and we will arrive at my hunting camp in the evening.” As predicted, they reached their journey’s end as the sun was sinking low in the west. Its crimson rays shot upward through the treetops and along the western sky. [[560]]