that case, you shall see that I too know something of magic,"
returned the young man. Forthwith he threw down one of his mittens, and
lo! their trail was changed to the trail of a Buffalo. He threw down the
other mitten, and it became the carcass of a Buffalo lying at the end of
the trail.

"She will follow thus far and no farther," he declared; but the maiden
shook her head, and ceased not from time to time to glance over her
shoulder as they hastened onward.

In truth it was not long till she perceived the old woman in the
distance, coming on with great strides and shaking her cane and her gray
head at the runaways.

"Now it is my turn!" the girl exclaimed, and threw down her comb, which
became a thick forest behind the fleeing ones, so that the angry old
woman was held back by the dense underbrush.

When she had come out of the forest at last and was again gaining upon
them, the girl threw her awl over her shoulder and it became a chain of
mountains with high peaks and sharp precipices, so that the grandmother
was kept back longer than before. Nevertheless, her magic was strong,
and she still struggled on after the lovers.

In the meantime, they had come to the bank of a river both wide and
deep, and here they stood for a while doubting how they should cross,
for there was neither boat nor ford. However, there were two Cranes near
by, and to these the young man addressed himself.

"My friends," said he, "I beg of you to stand on the opposite banks of
this river and stretch your necks across, so that we may cross in
safety! Only do this, and I will give to each of you a fine ornament for
your breast, and long fringes on your leggings, so that you will
hereafter be called the handsomest of birds!"

[Illustration]

The Cranes were willing to oblige, and they stood thus with their beaks
touching over the stream, so that the lovers crossed on their long necks
in safety.

"Now," exclaimed the young man, "I must ask of you one more favor! If an
old woman should come down to the river and seek your help, place your
heads together once more as if to allow her to cross, but when she is
half way over you must draw back and let her fall in mid-stream. Do
this, and I promise you that you shall never be in want!"

In a little while the old woman came down to the river, quite out of
breath, and more angry than before. As soon as she noticed the two
Cranes, she began to scold and order them about.

"Come here, you long