“And that is why we run from Utkena today?,” asked Rising Fawn.
“Yes,” Timpoochee answered, feeling himself for the first time in full control of the medicine, with authority.
“Some people say Uktena was banished to Galunlati,” he said. “But I don’t know. Maybe he takes other forms now. I have seen evil like that.”
“Is that why you fear?” Rising Fawn asked.
“Partly,” Timpoochee replied. “But even more, listen as I tell you the rest of the story my father taught me as he taught me the medicine:
“The sun came to her daughter’s house and found her daughter dead. She went into the house, stopped sending her deadly heat and killing the people, but was overcome by grief and wept and wailed all day and all night.
“And while the people stopped dying the world was once again dark because the sun would not come out of her daughter's house.
“The people held another council and decided to, once more, seek the help of the Little Men who told them the only way to get the sun back out was to travel to Tsusginai, the ghost country, and bring back the sun’s daughter.
“The council selected seven men to and gave each a sourwood rod take on the journey.
“They also instructed the seven to take along a box because the Little Men said they would find when they reached Tsusginai all the ghosts at a dance.
“'Stand outside the dance circle,' said the Little Men. 'And when a young woman passes through the circle strike her with the rods and put her into the box and return to her mother, the sun.'
“The Little Men also told them to keep shut on the way home the box lid, never open it no matter what, no matter how much they felt compelled to do so."