Part 69 (1/2)
All sweated and bathed in the river, and that day Hehku became a Putokya, a skull person. She stayed one night at the rocky mountain; dreamed of gambling with Jupka and all the people at Jigulmatu.
Hehku had a sister, Miniau Marimi. She took this sister as a companion. Both started, went together, and never stopped till they reached Oaimatu, a great hollow mountain northeast of Jigulmatu. Hehku brought a pipe with her, and made tobacco of dried brains. ”My smoke will be stronger than Jupka's,” thought Hehku. She spent one night in the hollow mountain, and dreamed again of gambling in Jupka's sweat-house. She rose early, and was in Jigulmatu at daylight. She stood with Miniau Marimi on the roof of the sweat-house, and sang to herself,--
”I shall win, I shall win, I shall win surely.”
”Jupka, I wish to go into your sweat-house,” said she. ”When I go in, you will like me, you will like to see me. I am nice to look at.”
She changed; made herself very beautiful then. No one could know her; no one could know that that woman was the Hehku who had hunted Tsanunewa.
At sunrise all the people in Jupka's sweat-house heard steps above, heard walking on the sweat-house. The two women were there. Hehku came to the roof-door and said,--
”Jupka, put away your things; clear your house. I want to come down and gamble with you. I dreamed last night that I played with you.”
Jupka was lying with his head to the north. He made no answer. Hehku went down.
”Sit on the west side,” said Jupka to the two sisters; and he told Malewula to spread out two robes, one of cinnamon, the other of black bearskin. All the people held down their heads. None looked at the women except Malewula.
”I should be glad to give these women something to eat,” said Malewula, ”but I don't know what they like; let us offer them venison.”
He roasted venison, put it before them in a basket; they wouldn't eat it, wouldn't taste or touch it. Then he brought dried salmon in small pieces; the women turned away their faces. Next he put salmon flour and mountain-pine nuts before them; they wouldn't eat, turned aside their faces.
”Take this food away,” said Hehku; ”we don't wish to eat. I came here to see people, I came here to gamble.”
The Mapchemaina said nothing for a long time. At last Kaitsiki spoke up.
”I do not know how to gamble, I cannot play,” said he.
”I do not like to hear you talk so. I know you,” said Hehku. ”I know that you gamble a great deal. I know that you began to gamble long ago.”
Kaitsiki made no answer. He went to get gambling-sticks (counters). He brought gra.s.s and fixed everything for the play. They sat down, Hehku on the west, Kaitsiki on the east.
”What will you play for, what will you bet?” asked the woman.
Kaitsiki took his sh.e.l.l necklace, hung it up, and said, ”I will begin with this.”
Hehku handled the Jupaiauna; it was hers, and made of a finger-bone.
Kaitsiki guessed ”north” the first time, and lost; after that he guessed north once and south once, lost both times; after that he lost his ten sticks.
”Take the necklace and hang it on our side,” said Hehku to Miniau.
When Hehku put her hands out, she held them together in front before opening them, and sang ”Wahau Putokya jinda Marimi” (You will not win against Putokya Marimi); and the bone went to the side opposite the one guessed. The singing made it go. When Kaitsiki guessed ”north,” if the bone was in Hehku's right hand, the south side, it stayed there; if it was in her left hand, the north side, it went to her right. In this way no one could ever win against Hehku.
”Play again,” said Hehku.
Kaitsiki bet and lost. He lost one thing after another till he bet his last, a belt of red-headed woodp.e.c.k.e.r scalps. It was very beautiful.
Hehku was glad.
”This is the bet,” said she, ”that Perriwiri Yupa always makes. He bets a girdle like this when I play with him.”
”I will guess south all the time now,” said Kaitsiki. He lost five times, then changed his mind, guessed north.