Many of the young braves sought her in marriage , but she would listen to one only -- a handsome chief , who had taken her fancy some years before . So they were to be married , and great rejoicings were made , and the two looked forward to a long life of happiness together , when the very night before the wedding feast a sudden illness seized the girl , and , without a word to her friends who were weeping round her , she passed silently away . The heart of her lover had been set upon her , and the thought of her remained with him night and day . He put aside his bow , and went neither to fight nor to hunt , but from sunrise to sunset he sat by the place where she was laid , thinking of his happiness that was buried there . At last , after many days , a light seemed to come to him out of the darkness . He remembered having heard from the old , old people of the tribe , that there was a path that led to the Land of Souls -- that if you sought carefully you could find it . So the next morning he got up early , and put some food in his pouch and slung an extra skin over his shoulders , for he knew not how long his journey would take , nor what sort of country he would have to go through . Only one thing he knew , that if the path was there , he would find it . At first he was puzzled , as there seemed no reason he should go in one direction more than another . Then all at once he thought he had heard one of the old men say that the Land of Souls lay to the south , and so , filled with new hope and courage , he set his face southwards . For many , many miles the country looked the same as it did round his own home . The forests , the hills , and the rivers all seemed exactly like the ones he had left . The only thing that was different was the snow , which had lain thick upon the hills and trees when he started , but grew less and less the farther he went south , till it disappeared altogether . Soon the trees put forth their buds , and flowers sprang up under his feet , and instead of thick clouds there was blue sky over his head , and everywhere the birds were singing . Then he knew that he was in the right road . The thought that he should soon behold his lost bride made his heart beat for joy , and he sped along lightly and swiftly . Now his way led through a dark wood , and then over some steep cliffs , and on the top of these he found a hut or wigwam . An old man clothed in skins , and holding a staff in his hand , stood in the doorway ; and he said to the young chief who was beginning to tell his story , ' I was waiting for you , wherefore you have come I know . It is but a short while since she whom you seek was here . Rest in my hut , as she also rested , and I will tell you what you ask , and whither you should go . '
On hearing these words , the young man entered the hut , but his XXXXX was too eager within him to suffer him to rest , and when he arose , the old man rose too , and stood with him at the door .
buds clouds heart hunt marriage path pouch sunrise thing tribe