But as they came near it the girl grew sad, for she had thrown out her
soul to their home, though they knew it not, by _meelahbi-give_.
[Footnote: Passamaquoddy: Clairvoyance, or state of vision.] And
suddenly she said, as they came to a point of land, "Here I must leave.
I can go no further. Say nothing of me to your parents, for your father
would have but little love for me." And the young men sought to
persuade her, but she only answered sorrowfully, "It cannot be." So
they came home with their furs, and the elder was so proud of their
luck and their strange adventure that he could not hold his peace, but
told all.
Then his father was very angry, and said, "All my life have I feared
this. Know that this woman was a devil of the woods, a witch of the
Mitche-hant, a sister of the _Oonahgamess_ [Footnote: P. Goblins
and ghosts.] and of the _Ke'tahks_." And he spoke so earnestly and
so long of this thing that they were afraid, and the elder, being
persuaded by the sire, went forth to slay her, and the younger followed
him afar. So they sought her by the stream, and found her bathing, and,
seeing them, she ran up a little hill. And, as she ran, the elder shot
an arrow at her. Then there was a strange flurry about her, a
fluttering of scattered feathers, and they saw her fly away as a
partridge. Returning, they told all this to their father, who said,
"You did well.
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