560 LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
man who came with her: * Who have you got there? I have never seoa
that woman before in our village.' * Yes,' replied the man,e you have seen
her; she is a relation of mine, and seldom goes out. She- stays at my
lodge, and asked me to allow her to come with me to this place.' In the
centre of the lodge sat one of those young men who are always forward,
and fond of boasting and displaying themselves before others. ' Why/ said
he,' I have seen her often, and it is to this lodge I go almost every night to
court her.' All the others laughed and continued their games. The young
man did not know he was telling a lie to the woman's advantage, who by
that means escaped.
She returned to the man's lodge, and immediately set out for her own
country. Coining to the spot where the bodies of her adopted brothers lay,
she placed them together, their feet toward the east Then taking an axe
which she had, she cast it up into the air, crying out,' Brothers, get up
from under it, or it will fall on you,' This she repeated three times, and
the third time the brothers all arose and stood on their feet.
Mudjikewis commenced rubbing his eyes and stretching himself. * Why/
said he,' I have overslept myself. * No, indeed,' said one of the others,' do
you not know we were all killed, and that it is our sister who has brought
us to life ?' The young men took the bodies of their enemies and burned
them. Soon after, the woman went to procure wives for them, in a distant
country, they knew not where 5 but she returned with ten young women,
which she gave to the ten young men, beginning with the eldest. Mudji-
kewis stepped to and fro, uneasy lest he should not get the one he liked.
But he was not disappointed, for she fell to his lot. And they were well
matched, for she was a female magician. They then all moved into a very
large lodge, and their sister told them that the women mast now take turns
in going to her brother's head every night, trying to untie it. They all said
they would do so with pleasure. The eldest made the first attempt, and
with a rushing noise she fled through the air.
Toward daylight she returned. She had been unsuccessful, as she suc-
ceeded in untying only one of the knots. All took their turns regularly,
and each one. succeeded in untying only one knot each time. But when the
youngest went, she commenced the work as soon as she reached the lodge;
although it had always been occupied, still the Indians never could see any
one. For ten nights now, the smoke had not ascended, but filled the lodge
and drove them out. This last night they were all driven out, and the
young woman carried off the head.
The young people and the sister heard the young woman coming high
through, the air, and lihey heard her saying: ' Prepare the body of ouf f
"brMibBT.* And as soon as they heard it, they went to a small lodge whe^;
tfce black body of lamo lay. His slater commenced cutting the