Bird after bird he tried , but every time the witch gained on him and took the lead . At length the goal was in sight , and Ball-Carrier knew that unless he could get ahead now he would be killed before his own door , under the eyes of his wife . His eyes had grown dim from fatigue , his wings flapped wearily and hardly bore him along , while the witch seemed as fresh as ever . What bird was there whose flight was swifter than his ? Would not the good spirits tell him ? Ah , of course he knew ; why had he not thought of it at first and spared himself all that fatigue ? And the next instant a humming bird , dressed in green and blue , flashed past the woman and entered the house . The witch came panting up , furious at having lost the race which she felt certain of winning ; and Ball-Carrier , who had by this time changed back into his own shape , struck her on the head and killed her . For a long while Ball-Carrier was content to stay quietly at home with his wife and children , for he was tired of adventures , and only did enough hunting to supply the house with food . But one day he happened to eat some poisonous berries that he had found in the forest , and grew so ill that he felt he was going to die . ` When I am dead do not bury me in the earth , ' he said , ` but put me over there , among that clump of trees . ' So his wife and her three children watched by him as long as he was alive , and after he was dead they took him up and laid the body on a platform of stakes which they had prepared in the grove . And as they returned weeping to the hut they caught a glimpse of the ball rolling away down the path back to the old grandmother . One of the sons sprang forward to stop it , for Ball-Carrier had often told them the tale of how it had helped him to cross the river , but it was too quick for him , and they had to content themselves with the war club and bow and arrows , which were put carefully away . By-and-by some travellers came past , and the chief among them asked leave to marry Ball-Carrier 's daughter . The mother said she must have a little time to think over it , as her daughter was still very young ; so it was settled that the man should go away for a month with his friends , and then come back to see if the girl was willing . Now ever since Ball-Carrier 's death the family had been very poor , and often could not get enough to eat . One morning the girl , who had had no supper and no breakfast , wandered off to look for cranberries , and though she was quite near home was astonished at noticing a large hut , which certainly had not been there when last she had come that way . No one was about , so she ventured to peep in , and her surprise was increased at seeing , heaped up in one corner , a quantity of food of all sorts , while a little robin redbreast stood perched on a beam looking down upon her . ` It is my father , I am sure , ' she cried ; and the bird piped in answer .
From that day , whenever they wanted food they went to the hut , and though the robin could not speak , he would hop on their shoulders and let them feed him XXXXX the food they knew he liked best .
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