Then Eut-le-ten took leave of all the tribe and climbed the rope
of arrows to the sky, beyond the peoples' sight, until at last he
reached the portals of the land above.


THE TWO BLIND SQUAWS

First, Eut-le-ten saw two blind and ancient squaws preparing simple
food for their repast, and when it was all ready they began to help
each other to the food, not hearing Eut-le-ten who quietly watched
until impelled by thoughts of mischief or of jest, took the food
away from them.

Soon each old squaw accused the other of taking all the food and
giving none, and angrily they talked and quarrelled much, each
upbraiding the other for a misdeed of which neither was guilty,
while Eut-le-ten stood by enjoying their discomfiture. Presently
he spoke however, and at the sound of his young voice they stopped
their noise, and ceased to wrangle more about the food. Instead they
asked him to tell from whence he came, and who he was, and what had
brought him there.

"I am a being from the lower world, and I have come to ask from
Nas-nas-shup, the love of one, of whose great charms long tales
are told among the young men of the world below." Thus Eut-le-ten
answered the questions put by the old squaws, and when they heard
his words, they were alarmed, and warned him to desist from his bold
quest which was full of peril, as many men had found before, for none
had yet returned who dared essay to win the daughter of Nas-nas-shup.
Eut-le-ten would not be turned away from his resolve by any craven