Immediately the Snake-woman appeared and joined him at his meal. When she had eaten she vanished as mysteriously as she had come, and the disconsolate husband (for the youth had married her) went out of the lodge to seek her. Thinking she might be among the women of the village, he said to his father: "Let the women dance before me." {289} An old man was deputed to gather the women together, but not one of them so much as resembled the Snake-woman. Again the youth sat down to eat, and repeated the formula which his wife had described to him. She ate with him as before, and vanished when the meal was over. "Father," said the young man, "let the very young women dance before me." But the Snake-woman was not found among them either. Another fleeting visit from his wife induced the chief's son to make yet another attempt to find her in the community. "Let the young girls dance," he said. Still the mysterious Snake-woman was not found. One day a girl overheard voices in the youth's lodge, and, peering in, saw a beautiful woman sharing his meal. She told the news to the chief, and it soon became known that the chief's son was married to a beautiful stranger. The youth, however, wished to marry a woman of his own tribe; but the maiden's father, having heard that the young man was already married, told his daughter that she was only being made fun of. So the girl had nothing more to do with her wooer, who turned for consolation to his ring. He caused food to be brought, and placed the ring on a seat. The Ring Unavailing "Come," he said, "let us eat." There was no response; the Snake-woman would not appear. The youth was greatly disappointed, and made up his mind to go in search of his wife. {290} "I am going a-hunting," said he, and again his father gave him good clothes and saddled a horse for him. When he reached the spot where the Snake-woman had first met him, he found her trail leading up to the spring, and beyond it on the other side. Still following the trail, he saw before him a very dilapidated lodge, at the door of which sat an old man in rags. The youth felt very sorry for the tattered old fellow, and gave him his fine clothes, in exchange for which he received the other's rags. "You think you are doing me a good turn," said the old man, "but it is I who am going to do you one. The woman you seek has gone over the Great Water. When you get to the other shore talk with the people you shall meet there, and if they do not obey you send them away." In addition to the tattered garments, the old man gave him a hat, a sword, and a lame old horse.