77. Elk.
(Nkamtci'nEmux.)
(cont.)When he saw her coming, he went some distance out into the lake and changed himself into a dead tree with branches above the water.1 The girl saw the dead tree, and said to herself, “It is warm today. I will swim out and sit on these branches.” She put down her buckets, and, divesting herself of her clothes, swam out and sat on the branches. Soon they commenced to move, but she thought it was only the motion of the water. Then she noticed that they gradually approached the shore, and emerged more and more from the water. She became afraid and tried to jump off, but found that she was held fast. When nearly out of the water, Elk changed back to his natural form, and the woman found herself sitting between his antlers. Now he ran as fast as he could toward his mother’s house.
After a while the girl felt cold, and said to herself, `I shall perish of cold.' Elk knew her thoughts, and said, 'Here are some clothes: put them on.", he gave her a robe, and she wrapped it round her body. Soon she said to herself, " My feet are cold,” and the Elk gave her moccasins to put on. After running fast a day and a night, Elk bean to slacken his pace.
Now the woman said to herself, “I will leave him:" so she broke off fir-branches as they passed along through the trees. These she placed on Elk's head, between his antlers. When she had thus disposed of a sufficient number of branches, she caught hold of the limb of a tree as they passed underneath, and swung herself up. Elk passed on, thinking that the girl was still there, for he felt the weight of the firr-branches between his antlers.
At last he reached his mother's house, and cried, 'Mother, come out and receive your daughter-in-law.' She came and said. “I see no one.” Elk answered sharply, “Don't you see her? She is sitting between my antlers. Quick! Lift her off.” His mother said, "There is nothing there but a heap of fir-branches,” at the same time lifting them off.
Now Elk knew that the girl had left him, so he at once started back in pursuit. The girl was very fleet of foot, and had made good use of her time. Elk ran back a long distance and almost overtook the girl, but was not aware that he was so near to her. She stopped to urinate, and then ran on. She had just disappeared when Elk came to the place, and, seeing, where she had urinated, he stopped and urinated on the same spot. He said to himself, “I have run a long distance and am now tired, and I seem to be no nearer to the girl. I will return.” So he gave up the chase. and went back to his mother.
As soon as the Elk urinated over the urine of the girl, she became. pregnant. She said to herself. "I had no connection with the Elk, and yet I find myself with child.” Before she went much farther, she gave birth to a child, which resembled Elk very much.
1. Some say he waded out until only his antlers and nose appeared above water, and the girl thought his antlers were the branches of a dead tree in the water.
