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Updated: June 25, 2025
He insisted on the privilege of attending Wassamo and his wife for a distance, and when they reached the sand-banks he expressed the strongest wish to proceed with them on their journey. Wassamo told him that it could not be; that only spirits could exert the necessary power, and that there were no such spirits at hand.
About mid-day the company began to assemble; and such a company Wassamo had never looked on before. There were Spirits from all parts of the country; such strange-looking persons, and in dresses so wild and outlandish! One entered who smiled on him.
Accordingly he at once dispatched his pipe-bearer and confidential aid to summon various Spirits of his acquaintance, and set the time for them to come. Meanwhile he had a word of advice for his son-in-law Wassamo. "My son," said he, "some of these Manitoes that I have asked to come here are of a very wicked temper, and I warn you especially of that Island Spirit who wished to marry my daughter.
As a wedding-gift, the Old Spirit asked his son-in-law to make one request, which should be promptly granted. "Let there be no sand-squalls among my father's people for three months to come," said Wassamo. "So shall it be," answered the old Sand-Spirit. The tobacco was now divided in equal shares among the company.
"Brothers," he said, "I have invited you to partake with me of the offerings made by the mortals on earth, which have been brought by our relation," pointing to Wassamo. "Brothers, you see their wishes and desires plainly set forth here," laying his hand upon the figured moose-skins. "The offering is worthy of our consideration.
You can be absent one year, but after that you must return." Wassamo promised to obey, and set out with his wife. When he was near his village, he left her in a thicket and advanced alone. As he did so, who should he meet but his cousin. "Netawis, Netawis," cried his cousin, "you have come just in time to save me!" Then he ran off to the lodge of Wassamo's parents.
There is my daughter," added the Old Spirit, pointing toward her. "Take her. She shall be your wife." Forthwith Wassamo and the Old Spirit's daughter sat near each other in the lodge, and they were man and wife.
They then took an affectionate leave of each other, Wassamo enjoining it upon his cousin, at risk of his life, to not look back when he had once started to return. The cousin, sore at heart, but constrained to obey, parted from them, and as he walked sadly away, he heard a gliding noise as of the sound of waters that were cleaved.
"Cousin," said Wassamo, "tell me stories, or sing me some love-songs." The other obeyed, and sang his plaintive songs. He would frequently break off, and tell parts of stories, and would then sing again, as suited his feelings or fancy. While thus employed, he unconsciously fell asleep.
I wish to detain him with me, and it is with us jointly to make him one of us." "Hoke! hoke!" ran through the whole company of Spirits, and "Hoke! hoke!" they cried again. And it was understood that the petitioners were to have all they asked, and that Wassamo was thenceforward fairly accepted as a member of the great family of Spirits.
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