She
sought a neighboring hiding-place, where she might watch unseen, and
found a tree, a broad old ash, which spread its stooping boughs over
the surface of a silent pool.
An old black Indian had a hut hard by. His daughter, coming, looked
into the spring, and saw a lovely face. The simple girl thought it was
hers, her own grown beautiful by sorcery which hung about the place.
She flung away her pail, and said, "Aha! I'll work no more; some chief
shall marry me!" and so she went to smile among the men.
Then came the mother, who beheld the same sweet, smiling, also girlish
face. She said, "Now I am young and beautiful again; I'll seek another
husband, and at once." She threw her pail afar and went away, losing no
time to smile among the men.
And then in turn the old black Indian came, and looking in the spring
beheld the face. He knew right well that it was not his own, for in his
youth he never had been fair. So looking up above he saw the bride, and
bade her come to him; and then he said, "My wife has gone away; my
daughter, too. You were the cause of it; it is but right that you
should take the place my wife has left. Therefore remain with me and be
my own."
He fares but ill who weds unwilling witch. When night came on they laid
them down to sleep, and then the bride murmured a magic prayer, begging
the awful Spirit of the Wind, the giant Eagle of the wilderness, to do
his worst.
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