d in such cases, and proving
true as often as larks fall from the skies. The Evil Spirit now spoke
to Cayenguirago, bidding him follow him to an inner room in the
cavern, and finish the marriage at once. He obeyed, leading his pursy
bride by a string which he tied around her neck. The whole body of
rattlesnakes followed the couple--hissing, and slapping, and rattling
their tails, and running out their forked tongues; but, whether for
joy or sorrow, Cayenguirago either cared nothing, or did not think it
worth his while to enquire. At last they came to a small room, which
was lighted up by a great blue fire burning in the centre. This, the
Evil Spirit said, was his daughter's chamber, and there they would
pass the night, upon which the maiden pretended to be much ashamed.
The couple now went through the Indian form of marriage, and the Maqua
became the husband of the rattlesnake--daughter of the Evil Spirit,
Abamocho.

They spent the evening very pleasantly together, and so well was
Cayenguirago entertained with the pleasant stories she told him, and
her wit, and good humour, and the kisses she gave him, that he
entirely forgot the advice of her father. So, after they had spent
some time in talk and fondling, the bride crept to her bed of leaves,
and the husband followed.

By and by the Maqua said to his wife, "Thy flesh is very cold--lie a
little further off."

"My flesh is warm," answered the other; "but thou hast drawn to thy
side all the covering, and the spirit of cold is breathing harshly
upon me from the distant cavern."

Upon that they fell to disputing fiercely about love, and hatred, and
cold, and many other things, which need not be mentioned here. Louder
and louder rose their voices, and more violent grew the dispute, until
the wife, losing the very little patience she possessed, applied the
deadly sting, which dooms to instant death, to bring her husband to
her side of the argument. A horrid shout told the creeping of the
subtle poison through his veins. Few were the moments that elapsed
before he lay a stiffened, and swollen, and blackened, corpse.

And thus perished the wicked Maqua, that married a rattlesnake and
forgot to cut off her tail.

* * * * *

The rattlesnake figures very frequently in the Indian traditions. They
suppose it to be endued with more sagacity than any other animal,
except the owl, and to be peculiarly their intercessor with the Evil
Spirit. The