103. The Girl who sought her Brothers.
(cont.)There they erected a fine lodge in a beautiful spot. They said they would now be happy, and would kill any female who might stray to their abode. They feared that trouble might come, and their happiness again be marred, if females entered their world. The country they had selected to live in had no human inhabitants save themselves, and as all kinds of game were very plentiful, they lived easily. When they had finished building their lodge, the eldest brother blew his breath on the ground near the lodge, and a red Flower sprang up. Then each of the others blew their breaths, and a white, a yellow, and a blue flower appeared. Thus four flowers grew around the lodge, one toward each of the four quarters.
Meanwhile a girl had been born in their parents' lodge, and when she grew up, she noticed in the house some old clothes which had belonged to her brothers. She asked her mother whose clothes they were, and she answered that they belonged to her father. This the girl did not believe, and repeatedly asked her mother. At last, being tired of her daughter's persistent inquiries, she told her the whole story. Now the girl pitied her brothers, and wished to find them. Her mother prepared food and clothing for her, which she reduced to very small proportions. During her father's absence, she left the house, and travelled east on her brothers' tracks. Although the trail was very old, she followed it by the old fires and other signs. \'hen her last moccasins were worn out, and her clothes all torn, she reached their lodge, very hungry, and almost naked. She found her youngest brother at home, and told him her story. After she had eaten, she made up all the beds, and cleaned out the house. Towards evening she hid under some blankets, for the youngest brother told her that the others would kill her.
When they arrived, the eldest said, `There is a woman here,' to which the youngest answered in the negative. The eldest said, "Why deny it? I can see a woman has been working about the house and beds.' Then the youngest related the whole story, and the others discussed whether they should kill her, or not. They agreed to spare her life ; but the eldest maintained they should kill her, for otherwise she would surely cause them trouble. At last the others persuaded him to relent, and their sister came out of her hiding-place. They agreed that she should do the cooking and keep the house, adding they had spared her life because she was their sister. They warned her not to touch the flowers, for, they said, "These are our breaths. Without them, we cannot live on this earth." -The girl admired the flowers, and one day, when the brothers were hunting, she plucked them all, whereupon her brothers all went to the upper world.
