When they had eaten, the kettle was rinsed out and the lover's
friend brought it back full of water. This the lover drank at a
draught.
"Bring me more," he said.
Again his friend filled the kettle at the river and again the lover
drank it dry.
"More!" he cried.
"Oh, I am tired. Cannot you go to the river and drink your fill
from the stream?" asked his friend.
"Remember your promise."
"Yes, but I am weary. Go now and drink."
"Ek-hey, I feared it would be so. Now trouble is coming upon us,"
said the lover sadly. He walked to the river, sprang in, and lying
down in the water with his head toward land, drank greedily. By
and by he called to his friend.
"Come hither, you who have been my sworn friend. See what comes of
your broken promise."
The friend came and was amazed to see that the lover was now a fish
from his feet to his middle.
Sick at heart he ran off a little way and threw himself upon the
ground in grief. By and by he returned. The lover was now a fish
to his neck.
"Cannot I cut off the part and restore you by a sweat bath?" the
friend asked.
"No, it is too late. But tell the chief's daughter that I loved
her to the last and that I die for her sake. Take this belt and
give it to her. She gave it to me as a pledge of her love for me,"
and he being then turned to a great fish, swam to the middle of the
river and there remained, only his great fin remaining above
the water.
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