106 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bdll. 47 



mother's head, she waved her hand toward her sister, who carried the 

 hot iron to her, thrust it into the hole in the head, causing the Old 

 Woman to throw her head back several times before she really died. 

 The death of the Old Woman having removed the sole obstacle, the 

 two young women became the wives of Tube. 



After they had been married for some time. Tube wished to return 

 to his boyhood's home, so the women prepared a supply of food for 

 the journey, and he made a number of arrows. When the prepara- 

 tions were completed, the elder wife went close to the stream and 

 began to sing a magic song, which caused an immense alligator [such 

 as the Biioxi say frequent salt water] to appear. This alligator served 

 as a boat, and on him they piled their food and other possessions, after 

 which they got upon him, and off he started toward the other side of 

 the stream. 



Then each of the women said, "• So long as he hears me sing, he will 

 continue to go rapidly, but when he does not hear me sing, you must 

 throw some of the food in advance of him. The alligator swam 

 toward the food, and seized and devoured it. Tube continued throwing 

 the food beyond the alligator till it was all gone. Then he took his dog 

 and threw it into the water. The alligator overtook the dog, caught 

 it, and swallowed it. Not long after Tube threw the otter into the water, 

 and he too was devoured by the alligator when he had almost reached 

 the other side. As a last resource Tube began to shoot his arrows 

 ahead of the alligator, but when an arrow alighted on the ground, the 

 alligator stopped swimming. At last Tube [must have] fastened to 

 the arrow a string with a loop at one end. He took his seat in the 

 loop [sic], and shot the arrow with great force, causing it to reach the 

 ground, and so he alighted on the other side. [What became of his 

 two wives has been forgotten. But they could not have been left on 

 the alligator!] * 



Then Tube was going toward the house of his uncle. At the same 

 time his sister was approaching. When he noticed her approach, he 

 shot an arrow far into the air, and when it alighted the sister took 

 it up. "Whoever has been making arrows? My brother used to 

 make arrows just like this. But no matter who made this I will break 

 it," said she. She was just about to break it when he said, "Do not 

 break it. It is mine." At once she discovered his presence and was 

 very glad. She caught hold of him and cried aloud [from joy]. 

 "What are you desiring to do?" said he. "I am wishing to make 

 hominy," she replied. "How large is my uncle's child?" said he. 

 "It sits alone," replied the sister. "When the water boils in the 

 kettle, put the child into it! When they wish to kill you for doing 

 that, return to me." Then Tube left her, and she returned to her 

 uncle's house. She made the water boil, and she stood by it singing. 

 As shesang, some bystander remarked, "Ha, ha! Very-long-headed- 



