THE STAE WIVES ONCE, long ago, there lived in the forest a widow with her two children, who were very beautiful maidens. They belonged to the family of Weasels. Some of the time they were Indians and some of the time they were ani¬ mals. One day their mother sent them in search of groundnuts. The maidens wandered farther and farther into the forest, until it began to grow dark. Then they turned to go home; but go which ever way they might, they could not find the trail! They wandered about until, at last, they were so weary that they could go no farther, and they lay down in the forest, under the open sky, to sleep. There were no clouds in the sky, and the stars were shining. The maidens looked up at the stars, and they began to imagine that the stars were the eyes of lovers, looking down upon them. "Which of those would you choose for a husband?" the younger sister asked. "One with small eyes, or one with large eyes?" 42