For a long while Ball-Carrier was content to stay quietly at home
with his wife and children, for he was tired of adventures, and
only did enough hunting to supply the house with food. But one
day he happened to eat some poisonous berries that he had found
in the forest, and grew so ill that he felt he was going to die.

'When I am dead do not bury me in the earth,' he said, 'but put
me over there, among that clump of trees.' So his wife and her
three children watched by him as long as he was alive, and after
he was dead they took him up and laid the body on a platform of
stakes which they had prepared in the grove. And as they
returned weeping to the hut they caught a glimpse of the ball
rolling away down the path back to the old grandmother. One of
the sons sprang forward to stop it, for Ball-Carrier had often
told them the tale of how it had helped him to cross the river,
but it was too quick for him, and they had to content themselves
with the war club and bow and arrows, which were put carefully
away.

By-and-by some travellers came past, and the chief among them
asked leave to marry Ball-Carrier's daughter. The mother said
she must have a little time to think over it, as her daughter was
still very young; so it was settled that the man should go away
for a month with his friends, and then come back to see if the
girl was willing.

Now ever since Ball-Carrier's death the family had been very
poor, and often could not get enough to eat. One morning the
girl, who had had no supper and no breakfast, wandered off to
look for cranberries, and though she was quite near home was