The old woman would cry and howl, and refuse to eat, for days; till, finding this had no effect upon her hard-hearted son, she told him she would do something that would make him sorry, the next time he struck one of his children.
But the dutiful son paid no attention to her.

He had always considered women as being inferior to dogs, and he would as soon have thought of giving up smoking, as of minding his mother's threats.
But while Red Earth was thinking of her absent lover, Two Stars was beating his sons again--and when the maiden was left alone by Shining Iron after the warning he had given her, she was attracted by the cries of one of the old women of the village, who was struggling 'mid earth and heaven, while old and young were running to the spot, some to render assistance, others to see the fun.
And glorious fun it was! the grandmother had almost hung herself--that is, she seriously intended to do it.

But she evidently did not expect the operation to be so painful.

When her son, in defiance of her tears and threats, commenced settling his household difficulties in his own way she took her head-strap,[Footnote: The head-strap is made of buffalo skin.

It is from eight to ten, or sometimes twenty-four feet long.