he give,
though men died.

"To quench their thirst men chewed the roots of young trees and the
stalk of Yan-a-ate.[3]

[3] _Species of wild celery._

"A few men there were, brave of heart and moose-legged, who had
travelled the weary journey to the well among the mountains, the
mountains marked with the trail of Oonah, the Gray One, Death,
seeking the water that is life.

"And of them?

"Is it not well said that Oonah, Death, and Koo-stay, Life, are
brothers, and he who seeks one finds the other?

"And Heenhadowa laughed, first at their black lips, later at their
white bones, and drank deep but gave not.

"Now Yaeethl, the Raven, Desirer of All Things, longed most for
those that were forbidden, concealed, or like the favor of women,
not to be had for the asking. And since the water was denied, his
tongue ached with dryness, and Yan-a-ate lost its savor. Also was
his heart moved by the prayers of men and the cries of women. But
his tongue troubled him more than did his heart, his tongue and his
cupidity, so that he was moved to try his cunning where the
strength and bravery of men had failed.

"No crooked trail through forests and over mountains had Yaeethl to
measure with his feet, but on his wings of blackness was he borne
straight to the place of the well.

"Well and well-house he found, found also Heenhadowa, watchful,
moving not from his place. As one greets an old friend new found
spoke Yaeethl to the Thirst Spirit. With smooth tongue and soft
words spoke the Raven, claiming kinship through the cousin of his
grandmother's grandmother. Said also that when he left his father's
country he was bidden seek that old and true friend of the family,
Heenhadowa the Wise, the Generous Giver of Water. As bidden, so had
he obeyed and flown straight without halt or rest to bow before his
mighty relative, and taste of his wonderful well, the like of which
not even his father had, who possessed all things.

"But the Maker of Thirst laughed at the Raven and mocked him,
bidding him, if he would drink, find or dig a well of his own.

"Again Yaeethl recounted their connected lineage, from mother to
mother's mother, from family to family and tribe to tribe, tied
with proof and argument, lashed with meek bows, and smoothed with
soft flattery.

"Heenhadowa laughed scornfully, cast from him the claim of
cousinship, and mocked at Yaeethl's tongue, dry from the dust of
many words.

"Then Yaeethl drew about him the par