No.^SOr" ^^^' EASTERN CHEROKEE FOLKTALES — KILPATRICK 415 



Fleakiller spoke sharply to them because they were such cowards 

 as to leave him after having sent him forth to fight the fearsome 

 dha :ghwv by himself. 



WONDER STORIES 



1. THE WATER DWELLERS 



There was a sick man who lived alone. He had no relatives. 

 Since he could not provide his own food, he became very hungry and 

 weak. 



One day two women came to see him and brought him something 

 to eat. They asked him, "Will you go home with us?" 



But the man said that he did not think that he was strong enough 

 to go. So the women went home and told their father, "Well, he 

 says that he isn't strong enough." 



A second time the women came to see the sick man, and again 

 they asked him if he would go home with them, and again he answered 

 that he did not feel strong enough to go. 



The same thing happened upon a third visit. 



Before the two women left home to see the sick man for the fourth 

 time, their father said to them, "If he says again that he is too weak, 

 let him walk between you two. Bring him here, and I will cure him, 

 and then he can return home." 



When the two women went the fourth time to where the sick man 

 lived, they brought him food, just as they had upon the other visits. 

 When they asked him if he would like to go home with them, he thought 

 to himself: "I am not strong enough." 



But they said that they would help him along the way, and each 

 took him by an arm and thus supported him. They told him, "It 

 won't be very far. Now we are going to assist you." They walked 

 together toward the women's home. He walked between the women. 



After they had gone but a little way, they came to the river. The 

 man became frightened and thought: "It appears that they are going 

 to drown me." 



But the two women knew what he was thinking, and said, "This is 

 not a river, but a road." Then they stepped into the river which 

 they walked on as if they were walking upon a road. 



When they came to a deep hole in the water, the women said, "This 

 is not a deep hole; it is our house." They also said, "Our father will 

 say to you, 'Sit down!' repeatedly. You will see high, soft chairs 

 this [70 cm.] high, and also stools. Don't be afraid of them. Just 

 sit down." 



When they came into the house, the Old Man appeared to be pleased 

 to see the sick man. He said, "Sit down! Sit down! Sit down!" 



