15. The Girl and Her Pet

15. THE GIRL AND HER PET.

Five brothers lived (together). Their father and mother were alive. Their sister was in the habit of bathing all the time. She used to go bathing early in the morning, and would go bathing in the evening. She would always (do) that way.

Once she went bathing. The young woman was swimming p. 87 (where) there was a somewhat deep place. She swam naked. One day a small snake was swimming. The snake was as large as a hair, (and) was very pretty. it swam towards her. She stretched out her hand, and the little snake came into her hand. She went ashore with it.. The woman picked up a little moss and put (the snake) there. Then the woman dressed, and went home with it.

She took it into the house. She took it there where her bed was. "What am I going to do with it?" Thus she was thinking. Then she gathered moss. Indeed, she worked hard. There she put the pet. What may it do?" Thus the woman was thinking.

The parents (of) the woman did not know it. Every evening she would go bathing. Then she examined the pet. It was big already. The woman was glad when she saw that it was large. Not long (afterwards) it grew up. The woman was again picking moss. The woman was always bathing; and whenever she came home, she would examine it.

She examined it once, and it seemed as if a lump was on its head. She examined it, and verily she saw (what was) about to develop into horns. She saw that (they were) large already. Thus she said: "You shall take care of me, my pet." Thus she said. She was glad when she saw it. Her elder brothers, her mother, and also her father, came to know it. "What do you intend to do with it?" And the young. girl answered thus: "Verily, I will raise it."

The horns were sticking out already. The horns stretched out to (the roof of) the house. Thus she said to her elder brother: "Tear off these boards." Indeed, her elder brother tore them off. The two tips [heads] passed out of the house, when the horns grew. It looked very pretty when they grew up. (The snake) coiled many p. 89 times, as it lay. The head was sticking out (from) the middle. It looked everywhere.

One morning it disappeared. Where may it have gone?" Thus the young girl was thinking. Suddenly they heard something. They heard something back in the woods. So they looked there, and ahead of them they saw coming the grown-up snake. Thus the young girl spoke: "Indeed, it is my pet that is coming." The pet was dragging (something). The pet had horns. It was dragging deer. The young girl was very glad when the (pet) brought home deer. There the pet came back again, and lay down (where it used to) lie.

Five times it went into the woods. It also brought as many elk; (namely) five (times). And also five deer it dragged (home). They were very glad. They became rich when their food was being bought. The two horned heads passed out from (the roof of) the house. It seemed as if the young girl was afraid of the pet. So (they) let it rest. Their house was full of food. People were buying their food.

Whenever her pet would disappear, the young girl would think thus: "Where may it have gone?" Suddenly she saw a wind on the water. "What may be the thing I see on the water? I never saw such a wind." Suddenly she saw (the pet) swimming in the water. Behind (it) a whale was coining. It brought the whale ashore, when it (the pet) returned. They cut (the whale) into pieces. Again the pet came back, where it usually lay.

Five times it was dragging (something from) the ocean. It kept on bringing home as many whales. The owners became rich while the (food) was being bought. Thus it said to its master: "I am going home to the ocean. I shall not come back. This will be the end. I shall leave you now. You shall not think of me. Whenever the time comes, I will again give you (with a) whale. You shall p. 91 watch for it." Thus it spoke to its master. "I will always be (the cause of it), whenever the water gets rough." Thus it spoke. "Whenever a person travels in a canoe, (and) the water gets rough, I shall cause the water to go under the canoe."

Indeed, it was thus. The nephew (pet) went home to the ocean. It may be there to-day. It went out to the mouth of the river, and let itself down there into the water.

Now this is the end.