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Updated: June 3, 2025
When ready to return, the chief made a speech and besought the blessing of the Good Spirit on Maidwa and his friends. They parted, each on its course, making music with their war-drums, which could be heard from afar as they glittered with waving feathers in the morning sun, in their march over the prairie, which was lost in the distant sky.
Maidwa had nearly reached the scalp, but fearing that he should be perceived while untying it, he again changed himself into the down that floats lightly on the air, and sailed slowly on to the scalp. He loosened it, and moved off heavily, as the weight was almost too great for him to bear up. The Indians around would have snatched it away had not a lucky current of air just then buoyed him up.
Maidwa told them to wash themselves and prepare, for he would go and fetch the females in. Jeekewis scampered about, and began to wash himself; but he would every now and then, with one side of his head all feathers, and the other clear and shining, peep forth to look at the women again.
When he came to those parts which related to the Red Swan, they turned and looked upon her in wonder and admiration, for she was very beautiful. The chief then informed Maidwa that his brothers had been to their town in search of him, but that they had gone back some time before, having given up all hopes of ever seeing him again.
The watchman gave the signal, and numbers of men, women and children stood out to see them. They were again shown into the chief's lodge, who welcomed him, saying: "Son-in-law, you are welcome." And he requested Maidwa to take a seat by his daughter, and the two women did the same.
The pot soon boiled, when the old man said in a very quiet way: "The pot will stand at a distance from the fire." It removed itself, and the old man added to Maidwa: "My grandchild, feed yourself;" handing him at the same time a dish and ladle of the same ware as the pot itself. The young man, whose hunger was very great, helped himself to all that was in the pot.
Maidwa was very hungry, and seeing the limited scale of the old man's housekeeping, he thought his chance for a supper was very slight. The old man had promised him something very delicate, and he seemed likely to keep his word. Maidwa looked on silently, and did not change his face any more than if the greatest banquet that was ever spread had been going forward.
Maidwa, that he might meet his brothers, rescued two of the magic arrows from the water; and although the third was borne off, he had a hope yet to recover that too, and to be master of the swan. He was noted for his speed; for he would shoot an arrow and then run so fast that the arrow always fell behind him; and he now set off at his best speed of foot.
As Maidwa passed out, the old man gave him a blessing with his parting advice. Maidwa set forth in better spirits than at any time since he had started.
They asked him what he came for, how he had descended, and why he was so bold as to visit the abode of the dead. He answered that he was in quest of a magic arrow, to appease the anger of his brothers. "Very well," said the leader of the buffalos, whose form was nothing but bone. "Yes, we know it," and he and his followers moved off a little space from Maidwa, as if they were afraid of him.
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