Atondido Stories
When their mother came home she tried every remedy she
thought might restore their sight. But all her medicine was una-
vailing, and she said, "You will always be blind. That is the pun-
ishment for your disobedience."
So the children lived in darkness for a long time. But they were
no longer headstrong and unruly, and although they could no
longer see, they were less trouble to their mother than they were
when they had their sight, for they did not now refuse to do her
bidding.
One day, when their mother was far away hunting in the for-
est, an old woman came along and asked the children for food.
And they brought good food to her as she sat before the door.
After she had eaten, she said, "You are blind, but I can help you,
for I am from the Land of the Little People. I cannot give you
four eyes, but I will give you one eye between you. You can each
use it at different times, and it will be better than no sight at all.
But handle it with great care and do not leave it lying on the
ground." Then she gave them an eye which she took from her
pocket, and disappeared. So they used the one eye between
them, and when the boy had the eye and the girl wished to see
anything, she would say, "Give me the eye," and her brother
would carefully pass it to her. When their mother came home
she was very glad when she found that they had now some
means of sight.
One day when their mother was away again, the boy went
into the forest with his bow and arrows. He carried the eye with
him. He had not gone far when he saw a fat young deer, which
he killed. The deer was too heavy for him to carry home alone.
So he said, "I will go and get my sister, and we shall cut it up
and put it in a basket and carry it home together." He went home
and told his sister of his good fortune, and he led her to where
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