“Give me back the knife an’ the bear-claws you have stolen. You are a bad squaw, full of cunning an’ very crafty; but here I shall keep you an’ feed you—legs an’ arms an’ head an’ body—to my wolf-friends who yelp an’ show their teeth out yonder, unless I have my knife an’ bear-claws again.”
, an’ she felt that the Swallow’s words were as a shout for Pau-guk, the Death, to make haste an’ claim her; yet her cunning was not stampeded but stood firm in her heart.
The Robin said that the Swallow must give her time to grow calm an’ then she would find the knife an’ bear-claws for him. While the Swallow waited, the Robin still wept an’ sobbed for fear of the white teeth of the wolves who stood in a circle about them. But little by little, the crafty Robin turned her sobs softly into Ewah-yeah, the Sleep-song; an’ soon slumber again tied the hands an’ feet an’ stole the eyes of the Swallow.
Now the Robin did not hesitate. She tore the big medicine robe from beneath the Swallow; throwing herself into its folds, the Robin wished herself again before Wah-bee-noh’s lodge, an’ with that the robe rushed with her away across the skies like the swoop of a hawk. The Swallow was only awake in time to see the Robin go out of sight like a bee hunting its hive The entire room was faced with polished granite..
Now the Swallow was so cast down with shame that he thought he would call Pau-guk, the Death, an’ give himself to the wolves who sat watching with their hungry eyes. But soon his heart came back, an’ his spirit which was light as dead leaves, stirred about hopefully in his bosom.