w that she is a rattlesnake?"

"I care not, so she bring me as her portion the rich presents and the
sweet revenge thou hast spoken of. Shall the Maqua behold the maiden?"

"He shall, but the father bids him remember one thing. When the
marriage has taken place, let not the husband forget to cut off his
wife's tail. Upon his remembering this injunction his life depends. If
he forget it the bride will be a widow ere she is a wife."

With this the Spirit departed into the inner part of the cavern. He
soon returned, bringing with him a huge unwieldy rattlesnake. "This,"
said he, as he came up to the Maqua, "is the maiden I spoke of, and
the wife I have long destined for thee. She is rather fatter than need
be--she will eat the less, however. Take her, thou hast been a good
servant, and I owe thee a reward. Cayenguirago!"

The warrior answered, "I hear."

"I warn thee once more that my daughter is very irritable and
passionate, and withal so fond of admiration, that nothing in the
shape of a leer comes amiss to her. She likes a good squeeze above all
things. Evil, and the Father of Evil though I be, I am not so very
wicked as to wish thee to marry a woman of that description without
thy knowing what kind of treasure thou wilt possess."

"But thou hast promised me revenge against the Hurons, who slew so
many of my warriors in the last Beaver-Moon: remember that." And the
chief commenced his song, which ran thus:--

I shall taste revenge;
I shall dip my hands in purple gore;
I shall wet my lips with the blood of the men,
Who overcame my Braves;
I shall tinge the lake so blue
With the hue which it wore,
When I stood, like a mouse in a wild cat's den,
And saw the Hurons dig the graves
Of my Maquas good and true!

I shall build a fire
Of hickory branches dry,
And knots of the gum-exuding pine,
And cedar leaves and cones,
Dry stubble shall kindle the pyre.
And there shall the Huron die--
Flesh, and blood, and bones!
But first shall he know the pain
Of a red-hot stone on the ball of his eye,
And a red-hot spear in the spine.
And, if he murmur a grain,
What shouts shall rend the sky,
To see the coward Huron flinch,
As the Maquas rend him inch by inch?

The Maqua, having finished his song of blood, turned around to his
bride, and spoke to her kindly, telling her how happy they should
live, and many other things usually sai