94. The Lad who ran away from his Parents.
(Nkamtci'nEmux.)
(cont.)After he had travelled on some time he came to the house of two men who killed people. They were father and son. He entered their house and sat down. The elder man at once took his knife, and attacked the lad, and cut off his head; but immediately the head went back into its place again and the lad seemed unharmed. Thus father and son beheaded him four times. but each time the head sprang back into its place. and he was apparently unharmed. Then the lad rushed at the old man, wrestled the knife from him, cut him to pieces, and threw the bits of his body over the surrounding country and the places where they fell down became the haunts of "land mysteries."1 Then he prepared to kill the son ; but the latter begged for his life, saying, "Do not kill me! I will be your servant, and may be able to help you." So he spared him, and they journeyed together.
After many days' travel, they came within sight of a large village. On the side nearest to them stood the chief's lodge, which was so high that the top nearly touched the clouds. Near the village was the lodge of the chief's daughter, who had almost finished her period of training. She sat inside, playing on her whistle. The lad's comrade said, "I will procure the girl to be your wife.' So they hid themselves near the outskirts of the village. At night the man went into the girl's lodge, and said to her, -I have brought a husband for you from far country.' She answered, - I will see him, and, I will like him, he shall be my husband.' She spat on her whistle so that it kept on playing, and then she left the lodge with the man. When she saw the lad, she fell in love with him and consented to accompany him. So they had travelled together back again toward the lake. The girl's whistle continued to
play, and the people thought she was in her lodge as usual.On the third day the whistle sounded much more feebly, and on the fourth day the sound
same very faint, and at last ceased altogether.1 Evil spirits that haunt certain parts of the country.
