44. The Man Who Rescued His Wife By Strategy

44. THE MAN WHO RESCUED HIS WIFE BY STRATEGY

A man who had just married took his wife and started off hunting. They camped at a certain place, went out hunting from there, killed a deer and brought it in. But while they were roasting the meat men of another nation surrounded them, holding their bows in readiness to shoot.

The man, unafraid, set down some of the roasted venison and said, "Eat," and they changed their intentions, came to the venison and began eating. The man stood near for a while and then ran off and disappeared. After he had gone along for some time he sorrowed very much for his wife and thought, "How shall I get her back?" Going on for some time he found two bison which he shot and killed. He cut off the skin of their testes, threw the testes away, put the skins turned inside out upon his head, and went back. Presently he saw the people holding his wife captive go on past. Then he ran on ahead and lay down, holding a stick in each hand. Now the enemy came straight, to the place, saw him, and said, "There has

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been a battle here." While they were gathered about the man made a noise with his breath, stood up, and staggered around until they were frightened. "He probably has many friends near by," they thought, so they let the woman go and ran away while the man seized his wife and ran off as fast as possible.