29. Xe'niax
(Lower Uta'mqt.)
(cont.)After placing the Fro- at the edge of the cliff to help them, they attacked Xe'niax. They had a tierce struggle, and several times were shoved to the edge of the cliff by Xe'niax ; but the Frog pushed them back again. Xe'niax had killed women before, who had come after their husbands, by throwing them over the cliff. The fourth time, as they struggled near the edge of the cliff, the Frog gave Xe'max a shove, and she fell over to the bottom. Thinking that she was killed, the wives rushed in and told the men to make ready to depart, for they had killed Xe'niax ; but they were just putting on their moccasins when she appeared quite unharmed after the fall.
The wives staid there three days, and each day they fought with Xe'niax, but each time with like results. On the fourth day- Xe'niax said to the women, "What nice long hair you have! I wish I had hair like you!" She had no hair on her head whatever. They answered, "We make our own hair. It is a very simple matter, and we can soon make some for you quite as long and thick as our own." Xe'niax at once accepted the offer, as she was very anxious to have hair on her head, and was envious of the women's long tresses. The sisters said, "Fetch in four stones and some pitch,1 and we will soon make plenty of hair for you." When she had brought the stones and pitch, the women lighted a fire and heated the stones red-hot. They told her to lie down and smeared her head with the pitch. -- Now one sister held her head up, while the other one put a red-hot stone on top of her head. The melting pitch ran down over Xe'niax's face and neck, and she began to wince; but they told her to remain quiet, for her hair was already starting to grow. The woman who was holding her let her own hair fall down on Xe'niax's shoulders, and asked her to feel how Ion- her hair and frown already. When the second red-hot stone was put on, Xe'niax began to struggle; but they told her to keep quiet and not to move. The woman who was holding her let her own hair reach down to Xeniax's waist, and, asking her to feel of it, said, "See how long your hair has become! Another stone, and it will reach your heels.' Xe'niax was satisfied, and lay still. Then they put on the third stone. which burned right through the crown of her head; and immediately afterwards the fourth one, which burned through and dropped into her inside, so that she died. They threw her body over the cliff, and pronounced judgment on her, saying, "Hereafter you shall only be an `earth mystery' (xaxao'imux)2, and shall never again be able to seduce and steal men."
1. Gum from trees.
2. A surt of mystery or spirit, more or less harmful, which inhabits certain parts of the country, especially mountains; a haunted place.
