One day, having been sent to the spring for water, she remained absent
so long that her mother went to seek her. Approaching unseen, she
observed her greedily eating snow. And asking her what it meant, the
daughter explained that she felt within a burning sensation, which the
snow relieved. More than that, she craved the snow; the taste of it was
pleasant to her.
After a few days she began to grow fierce, as though she wished to kill
some one. At last she begged her parents to kill her. Hitherto she had
loved them very much. Now she told them that unless they killed her she
would certainly be their death. Her whole nature was being changed.
"How can we kill you?" her mother asked.
"You must shoot at me," she replied, "with seven arrows. [Footnote: The
Micmac version gives _guns_. But the Chenoo stories are evidently
very ancient, and refer to terrors of the olden time.] And if you can
kill me with seven shots, all will be well. But if you cannot, I shall
kill you."
Seven men shot at her, as she sat in the wigwam. She was not bound.
Every arrow struck her in the breast, but she sat firm and unmoved.
Forty-nine times they pierced her; from time to time she looked up with
an encouraging smile. When the last arrow struck she fell dead.
Then they burned the body, as she had directed. It was soon reduced to
ashes, with the exception of the heart, which was of the hardest ice.
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