By this time the old man assumed that his son-in-law must have starved to death. His daughter was miserable, grieving for her poor husband.

When spring returned, the father-in-law and his family moved back to the main camp.

The people in the camp, seeing that the son-in-law had not returned, questioned the old man about the boy's whereabouts. But the old man said nothing and the people knew he had done something to him as he had done to his other sons-in-law.

When summer came, the boy's father went to camp by the trading post to await the arrival of his son and family. The old man, apprehensive of this meeting, stayed behind.

As soon as the Swampy Crees arrived at the trading post, news of the boy's fate spread. The father was deeply saddened.

Two of the boy's cousins heard the news and decided to find the boy's body to ensure that it was properly buried, but not until fall, when the old man's people returned home.

When autumn arrived, the boys moved northward. Everywhere they went, they asked where the old man had camped, and where their cousin was buried, but no one could help them. They spent the entire winter searching. When spring arrived, the boys were ready to give up.

Before returning home the decided to hunt for food for their journey. It wasn't long before they picked up the trail of an elk. They followed the trail all day and towards the evening, finally made their kill.

Nightfall was near; it had been a long day. They made camp nearby. It was still very cold, so the boys kept a fire going throughout the night. As the boy's rested they heard something coming towards them, whooping and shouting.

The boy's knew this must be Pakakus. A gunshot went off very close to their camp and then a rush of wind blew by them. A Pakakus appeared before them them with a gun.

The Pakakus looked at them suspiciously and grabbed the younger of the two. At once, the other grabbed Pakakus and started to wrestle with him. "Let me go," cried Pakakus, but the boys refused, saying they were going to take his gun as well.

Pakakus begged, "If you let me go, I will give you the gift of hunting animals, as well as a long life."

But the boys refused. Pakakus cried for mercy, "I will give you the gift of healing."

The boys held their ground and would not set him free.

As one held him fast, the other noticed a thong over his shoulder, to which something was attached. Pakakus clung to the object and refused to let them see it.

The younger one caught a glance. "It is a bowl of our deceased cousin used for the Bowl Dice game!"

Together the boys freed the object from Pakakus. Sure enough, it was the bowl. The boys questioned, "Where did you get this bowl?" But Pakakus said nothing.

Toward daylight, he could no longer fight.

Wrapping him tightly in a blanket, the boys carried him home.

Just before the camp, they stopped. The older boy turned to the younger saying "You must go into the camp and tell the others to build a tipi. The ground of the tipi must be covered with grass. Make sure there is a large supply of firewood available. Take this red cloth and spread it on the ground opposite to the entrance. Place a blanket nearby. Don't tell anyone why you are doing this. When you have finished, come back and tell me. Don't let anyone follow you." So the youth went, returning some time later with all the work completed.

The two went back to the camp with Pakakus. They went straight to the camp and placed him on the red material.

Hungry and tired, the boys ate and then fell asleep.

Towards dawn, the older of the two woke the younger one and told him to bring some fat, a bowl and a kettle.

When he returned, the older melted the fat and poured it into the bowl to cool.

After it had cooled the boy offered it to Pakakus, knowing that it would like this. To his surprise, Pakakus refused.

He then held the bowl to the lips of Pakakus and told him to drink. Pakakus did as told and drank. Soon after, he began to vomit, bringing up a black liquid. The boy ordered the younger to bring him more fat.

Again he gave Pakakus fat to drink and again he vomited, this time a bright green liquid.

Once more he gave him fat and again he vomited, but this time a yellow liquid.

Then the boys left him alone.

Later towards evening, Pakakus called to the lad, "Cousin, give me more fat to drink; it is plain you want to bring me back to life."

So the boy responded, and this time, Pakakus vomitted a white liquid. When he finished, he told the boy, "Now, I am restored. Look at me! I am your cousin who had changed to the form of Pakakus."

Both cousins looked at him and knew it was true.

Knowing he was not too strong yet, the younger one was sent for some medicinal herbs. They were made into tea and given to the sick boy to drink. Feeling better, he asked for food.

"Thank you cousins, for saving me," he told them, and then explained his story. Later he asked to see his parents.

Happy to see their son, they wept with joy.

In the time that followed, he stayed with his family. Retaining the power of Pakakus, he was able to hunt better than the others.

Towards spring, the camp prepared to move to the trading post. When they arrived, the young man was hidden from his father-in-law, who was camped with the others. However, the boy longed to see his wife and wanted to see if she was in the camp. His cousins decided to look for her. Before long, they found her. In grief, she cried when recognizing her husband,s cousins. They visited and left without telling her that he was still alive.

The young man was glad to hear about his wife and asked his mother, "Will you see her too?"

When the old man saw the boy's mother, he exclaimed, "Oh, how happy my son-in-law would have been to see."

The mother smiled, "Can my daughter-in-law come visit us?" As they walked, the girl told how her husband had died.

Entering the tipi, the girl cried again. Together they shared a meal. They bade her goodnight with more tears. Outside, her husband waited. When she stepped out, he grabbed her and held her, saying, "It is I, your husband." But she didn't believe him. Finally he showed her the Bowl Dice Cup, and at once she cried, "It is you! You're alive!"

They stayed at his father's place the night. The next day, the girl was busy sewing new clothes for herself from cloth her mother-in-law gave her. Later, her sister came to take her home. "I will go when I finish my clothes," said the girl. Before long, the girl and her husband made their way to her father's camp.

When the old man saw his son-in-law, he began trembling with fear. "Please let me live," he cried.

"I do not hate you," replied the boy.

The old man brought out all the things he had bought from the trading post, as well as some of his furs. "Take these. Let me live!" begged the old man.

The boy said nothing. Picking up his gifts, he left with his wife.

Later he asked his wife is she was glad she had a father. The girl replied, "No, I hate him for making you miserable."

Then he asked her who else in the family was like him. She answered, "Only my eldest sister follows his wicked ways."

The young man declared, "Tonight as he sleeps, he will become paralyzed and unable to talk. He will be this way until fall, when he shall die. The eldest daughter will also die."

So the curse came to pass and the young people were freed of the wicked old man.