94. The Lad who ran away from his Parents.
(Nkamtci'nEmux.)
(cont.)Then some one said to the chief, "Your daughter does not play so loud formerly. Her whistle sounds very faint.' Then they sent some one to see and they found the lodge deserted and the girl's whistle lying on the ground, making occasional feeble efforts to emit sound.
Now the chief looked over the world, and saw his daughter travelling with two men far away. He gave chase, and soon caught up with the fugitives, who saw him coming. Then the girl changed herself and her companions into three old stumps of trees near the trail. The chief passed by, and searched around. When he did not find them, he returned home.
His wife said to him, Why do you return without your daughter? Did you not see the stumps by the trail? Those were she and her companions. return at once and bring her back.' Again the chief gave chase, and soon drew near to the fugitives, who saw him coming. Thereupon the girl changed herself into an old, wrinkled woman, and her husband into a decrepit old man with white hair. Their servant she changed into a dog, and she caused a dilapidated old lodge to appear near the trail, into which they entered. They had just gone inside when the chief came along and asked them if they had seen his daughter pass that way accompanied by two men. They answered, "We have been living here by the trail for many years, until now and we are gray-headed and very old, and we have never seen your daughter go by," chief searched all around, as he lost the fugitives tracks here, he could not find any trace of them.
Very much perplexed, he returned home to receive a scolding from his w ife, who said, "Those old people you saw were your daughter and her husband, and the dog was their man-servant. They assumed those forms upon your approach. Your daughter is indeed greater in magic than you are."return at once and bring her back.'Again the chief gave chase, and came in sight of the fugitives just as ,,- ,.:y reached the lake-shore. The lad at once threw his belt out over the
,ater, and it formed a bridge over which they crossed. Just as the chief '~ Lched the edge of the lake, the lad drew in his belt, and their pursuer could not cross.They descended to the Beaver world, and received many presents from the Beaver chief, for he was very grateful for the service the young the Beaver chief, for he was very grateful for the service the young man had rendered him.
