Timpoochee stirred the fire. Rising Fawn snuggled closer, enrapt in his story of the medicine.
“The chosen seven took the box and armed with the rods traveled seven days to the ghost country and when they arrived they found many people and, just as foretold, the people were having a big dance.
“They spotted the young woman they sought dancing around an outer circle,” Timpoochee said.
“They argued among themselves about grabbing her as she moved toward them or waiting until she danced into the middle, as instructed.
“The argument was resolved when one of the men struck the young woman with a rod as she neared them.
“She immediately fell to the ground and the others quickly scooped her up and placed her gently into the box, closing the lid tightly. The other dancing ghosts never noticed what happened.
“The men started for home but it wasn’t long before the young woman regained her senses and started asking to be let out of the box. They ignored her, heeding the warning to never open the box until they delivered the daughter back to her mother, the sun.
“The young woman would not be quiet. She begged and begged, pleaded with the men to let her out. They would not.
“She fell silent after a while and after a while longer faintly cried out that she was smothering.
“This time, the men were afraid she might really be dying again and lifted the lid just a crack to let in some air.
“But as they did so a rush of wind and a flutter of wings engulfed them, flew over them and into the woods.