The Indian Fairy Book | Page 7

hideous
shout of laughter.
"And are you afraid now," she asked again.
"I am," again answered Strong Desire, without hesitation.
"But you are not afraid to speak the truth," rejoined the little old
woman. "You will be a brave man yet."

She cheered him with the assurance of her friendship, and began at
once to exercise her power upon him. His hair being very short, she
took a great leaden comb, and after drawing it through his locks several
times, they became of a handsome length like those of a beautiful
young woman. She then proceeded to dress him as a female, furnishing
him with the necessary garments, and tinting his face with colors of the
most charming dye. She gave him, too, a bowl of shining metal. She
directed him to put in his girdle a blade of scented sword-grass, and to
proceed the next morning to the banks of the lake, which was no other
than that over which the Red Head reigned. Now Hah-Undo-Tah, or the
Red Head, was a most powerful sorcerer, living upon an island in the
centre of his realm of water, and he was the terror of all the country.
She informed him that there would be many Indians upon the island,
who, as soon as they saw him use the shining bowl to drink with, would
come and solicit him to be their wife, and to take him over to the island.
These offers he was to refuse, and to say that he had come a great
distance to be the wife of the Red Head, and that if the chief could not
seek her for himself, she would return to her village. She said, that as
soon as the Red Head heard of this he would come for her in his own
canoe, in which she must embark.
"On reaching the shore," added the little old woman, "you must consent
to be his wife; and in the evening you are to induce him to take a walk
out of the village, and when you have reached a lonesome spot, use the
first opportunity to cut off his head with the blade of grass."
She also gave Strong Desire general advice how he was to conduct
himself to sustain his assumed character of a woman. His fear would
scarcely permit him to consent to engage in an adventure attended with
so much danger; but the recollection of his father's looks and
reproaches of the want of courage, decided him.
Early in the morning he left the lodge of the little old woman who
makes war, which was clouded in a heavy brackish fog, so thick and
heavy to breathe, that he with difficulty made his way forth. When he
turned to look back for it, it was gone.
He took the hard beaten path to the banks of the lake, and made for the

water at a point directly opposite the Red Head's lodge.
Where he now stood it was beautiful day. The heavens were clear, and
the sun shone out as brightly to Strong Desire as on the first morning
when he had put forth his little head from the door of his father's lodge.
He had not been long there, sauntering along the beach, when he
displayed the glittering bowl by dipping water from the lake. Very soon
a number of canoes came off from the island. The men admired his
dress, and were charmed with his beauty, and almost with one voice
they all made proposals of marriage. These, Strong Desire promptly
declined.
When this was reported to Red Head, he ordered his royal bark to be
launched by his chosen men of the oar, and crossed over to see this
wonderful girl. As they approached the shore, Strong Desire saw that
the ribs of the sorcerer's canoe were formed of living rattlesnakes,
whose heads pointed outward to guard him from his enemies. Being
invited, he had no sooner stepped into the canoe, than they began to
hiss and rattle furiously, which put him in a great fright; but the
magician spoke to them, when they became pacified and quiet. Shortly
after they were at the landing upon the island. The marriage took place
immediately; and the bride made presents of various valuables which
had been furnished her by the old witch who inhabited the cloudy
lodge.
As they were sitting in the lodge, surrounded by the friends and
relatives, the mother of the Red Head regarded the face of her new
daughter-in-law for a long time with fixed attention. From this scrutiny
she was convinced that this singular and hasty marriage boded no good
to her son. She drew him aside, and disclosed to him her suspicions.
This can be no female, said she; she has the figure and manners,