nly child. Live with us as long as my
old wife and I remain alive. Feed us, and then you shall inherit from
me." The man did so. When the old people died, he inherited all their
possessions; and then, with his new wife and his beloved son, returned
to his own village. So you see that, even among us Ainos, there are
wicked women.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, 17th
November, 1886.)

xl.--_The Bride Bewitched._

There was once a very beautiful girl who had many suitors. But, as soon
as she was married to one, and he lay down beside her and then stretched
out his hand towards her vagina, a voice came from it, warning him to
desist. This so much alarmed the bridegroom that he fled. This happened
nine or ten times, till at last the girl was in despair; for none would
now wed her, and her old father was put to shame. They plunged her into
the water of the river, but it had no effect. So at last, in her grief,
she ran to the mountains, and threw herself down at the foot of a
magnolia-tree.

When, after some difficulty, she fell asleep, she dreamt that the tree
was a house, outside of which she was lying, and from the window of
which a lovely goddess popped out her head and said: "What has happened
is in no way your fault. Your beauty has caused a wicked fox to fall in
love with you. It is he who has got into your vagina, and who speaks out
of it, in order to prevent the approach of any ordinary mortal husband.
He, too, it is who has lured you out here, to carry you away altogether.
But do not allow yourself to become subject to his influence. I will
give you some beautiful clothes, and cause you to reach your house in
safety. You must tell your father all about me." Then the girl awoke and
went home. Her father exorcised the fox at last by carving an exact
likeness of his daughter, and offering it to the fox with respectful
worship. Then she married, and gave birth to children, and was happy all
her life.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, 17th November,
1886.)

xli.--_The Wicked Stepmother._

In ancient days, when men were allowed to have several wives, a certain
man had two--one about his own age, the other quite young,--and he loved
them both with equal tenderness. But when the younger of the two bore
him a daughter, his love for his daughter made him also perhaps a little
fonder of the mother of the child than of his other wife, to the
latter's great rage. She revolved in her mind wh