m again in the sack. But the head did not speak
again.

The war party were now triumphant, but they did not know what use to
make of their triumph. Having spent so much time, and traversed so vast
a country in their flight, the young men gave up the idea of ever
returning to their own country, and game being plenty, they determined
to remain where they now were, and make this their home. One day they
moved off some distance from the lodge for the purpose of hunting,
having left the wampum captured with the woman. They were very
successful, and amused themselves, as all young men do when alone, by
talking and jesting with each other. One of them spoke and said, "We
have all this sport to ourselves; let us go and ask our sister if she
will not let us bring the head to this place, as it is still alive. It
may be pleased to hear us talk and be in our company. In the mean time,
we will take food to our sister." They went, and requested the head.
She told them to take it, and they took it to their hunting-grounds,
and tried to amuse it, but only at times did they see its eyes beam
with pleasure. One day, while busy in their encampment, they were
unexpectedly attacked by unknown Indians. The skirmish was long
contested and bloody. Many of their foes were slain, but still they
were thirty to one. The young men fought desperately till they were all
killed. The attacking party then retreated to a height of ground, to
muster their men, and to count the number of missing and slain. One of
their young men had strayed away, and, in endeavoring to overtake them,
came to the place where the undying head was hung up. Seeing that alone
retain animation, he eyed it for some time with fear and surprise.
However, he took it down and opened the sack, and was much pleased to
see the beautiful feathers, one of which he placed on his head.

Starting off, it waved gracefully over him till he reached his party,
when he threw down the head and sack, and told them how he had found
it, and that the sack was full of paints and feathers. They all looked
at the head and made sport of it. Numbers of the young men took up the
paint and painted themselves, and one of the party took the head by the
hair and said, "Look, you ugly thing, and see your paints on the faces
of warriors." But the feathers were so beautiful, that numbers of them
also placed _them_ on their heads. Then again they used all kinds of
indignity to the head, for which they were in turn