ed character
of a woman. His fear would scarcely permit him to accede to this plan,
but the recollection of his father's words and looks decided him.

Early in the morning, he left the witch's lodge, and took the hard
beaten path to the banks of the lake. He reached the water at a point
directly opposite the Red Head's village. It was a beautiful day. The
heavens were clear, and the sun shone out in the greatest effulgence.
He had not been long there, having sauntered along the beach, when he
displayed the glittering bowl, by dipping water from the lake. Very
soon a number of canoes came off from the island. The men admired his
dress, and were charmed with his beauty, and a great number made
proposals of marriage. These he promptly declined, agreeably to the
concerted plan. When the facts were reported to the Red Head, he
ordered his canoe to be put in the water by his chosen men, and crossed
over to see this wonderful girl. As he came near the shore, he saw that
the ribs of the sorcerer's canoe were formed of living rattlesnakes,
whose heads pointed outward to guard him from enemies. Our adventurer
had no sooner stepped into the canoe than they began to hiss and
rattle, which put him in a great fright. But the magician spoke to
them, after which they became pacified and quiet, and all at once they
were at the landing upon the island. The marriage immediately took
place, and the bride made presents of various valuables which had been
furnished by the old witch.

As they were sitting in the lodge surrounded by friends and relatives,
the mother of the Red Head regarded the face of her new daughter-in-law
for a long time with fixed attention. From this scrutiny she was
convinced that this singular and hasty marriage augured no good to her
son. She drew her husband aside and disclosed to him her suspicions:
"This can be no female," said she; "the figure and manners, the
countenance, and more especially the expression of the eyes, are,
beyond a doubt, those of a man." Her husband immediately rejected her
suspicions, and rebuked her severely for the indignity offered to her
daughter-in-law. He became so angry, that seizing the first thing that
came to hand, which happened to be his pipe stem, he beat her
unmercifully. This act requiring to be explained to the spectators, the
mock bride immediately rose up, and assuming an air of offended
dignity, told the Red Head that after receiving so gross an insult from
his relatives h