The little bird cried to Hrangchal, "He is catching you up." So they scattered the water-seed, and a great river rose. However, Kúngóri's husband waited for the water to go down, and when the water went down he followed after them as before. The bird said to Hrangchal, "He is after you again--he is fast gaining on you; sprinkle the thorn-seed," and thorns sprouted in thickets, so that Kúngóri's husband could not get on. By biting and tearing the thorns he at length made a way. and again he followed after them. Hrangchal's [11] party became bewildered and hid in a clump of reeds. Hpohtir cut the tiger down dead with a blow of his dao. "I am Hpohtir,"1 said he. So the tiger died. Hrangchal and the others went on again until they came to the three cross-roads of Khuavang, and there they stopped. Hpohtir and Hrangchal were to keep guard turn about. Hrangchala went to sleep first while Hpohtir kept watch. At night Khuavang came. "Who is staying at my cross-roads?" he said. Hpohtira (spoke out boldly). "Hpohtira and Hrangchala (are here)," said he, "crouching under the reeds. We cut off the tiger's head without much ado." Khuavang, hearing and becoming afraid, ran off. So Hpohtira (woke up Hrangchal, saying), "Hrangchal, get up; you stay awake now. I am very sleepy; I will lie down. If Khuavang comes you must not be afraid." Having said this he slept. Hrangchala watched; presently Khuavang returned. "Who is this staying at my cross-roads?" he said. Hrangchala was frightened; (however), he replied, "Hpohtira and Hrangchala (are here); they killed the tiger that followed them among the reed-roots." But Khuavang was not to be frightened by this, so he took Kúngóri. Kúngóri marked the road, trailing behind her a line of cotton thread. They entered into a hole in the earth, and so arrived at Khuavang's village. The hole in the earth was stopped up by a great stone. In the morning Hpohtir and Hrangchala began to abuse each other. Said Hpohtira to Hrangchal, "Fool man!" said he, "where has Kúngóri gone to? On account of your faintheartedness Khuavang has carried her off. Away! you will have to go to Khuavang's village." So they followed Kúngóri's line of white thread and found that the thread entered (the earth) under a big rock. They moved away the rock and saw Khuavang's village below them. Hpohtira called out, "Hoy! give me back my Kúngóri!" Khuavang replied, "We know nothing about your Kúngóri, whom you were taking away." "If you do not (immediately) give me Kúngóri I will use my dao," said Hpohtir. "Hit away," answered Khuavang. With one cut of the dao a quarter of the village died right off. Again Hpohtir cried, "Give me my Kúngóri," Khuavang said, "Your Kúngóri is not here." On this Hpohtir and Hrangchal said, "We will come in." "Come along," said Khuavang, so they went in and came to Khuavang's house. Khuavang's daughter was a very pretty girl. "Here is Kúngóri," said they. "This is not she," said Hpohtir; "give me Kúngóri herself." So (at last)