IX. - TALES BASED Off' EUROPEAN FOLKLORE.
50. A'îlu'l1
(Lower Uta'mqt.)A man once gambled away everything he possessed, including even his wives and children. He felt so much ashamed of himself, that he would not stay among the people, and wandered away alone, altogether destitute of nothing with the exception of an apron of fir-branches, and feeling very miserable.
When he came to a house, he heard something crying or singing. It as an invisible animal belonging to two women, who had seen him approach, and now invited him to enter their dwelling. As he was naked, he was ashamed to comply with their request, but they seized hold of him and forcibly pulled him into the house. They washed him and gave him clothes to put on, and then asked him where he was travelling to. He said, " I do not now exactly where I am going, but I intend to visit strange and distant lands." They said, "If you are going on a distant journey, it will be much better if you ride a horse.' He answered, "But there are no horses here." hey said, "Go outside and walk once around our lodge, and you will see." So he walked around the lodge, following the sun's course; and when he came to the door again, he saw two fine-looking horses inside, but did not see the women. After walking around the lodge again, he came to the door, and, looking in, saw the two women, but no horses. They said to him, Don't you wish to ride?" and he answered, "No." Then they told him to walk around the lodge again. He walked round once, and, looking in, saw the horses; and walking around the second time, he found they were gone, find the women were in their places. The women changed themselves into horses and back into human form. Although they asked him to ride again, he refused, and told them he intended to resume his journey on foot.
On his departure, they gave him a knife2 and a belt, which he put on. When he came to a lake, he threw the end of his belt across, and it formed a bridge, on which he crossed over. When he was halfway across, he saw many beavers swimming about. One of them struck him with his tail, and knocked him off the bridge, so that he fell into the water. Then, they conveyed him to their house.
1 A'ilu'l, a loser (at gambling); a person who is always unlucky at gambling.
2 Some say it was an axe that was given to him.
