HEwiTTl MYTH OF THE EARTH-GRASPER 471 



Then this Elder Man toki his young sister, saying, " Now I have 

 completed the matter relating to your children. Now then to thee 

 I leave the entire matter. Thou must treat thy children well and 

 kindly. That shall come to pass should your manner of doing be 

 remiss in the care of your children that a very important matter 

 will come to pass about the lives of these two. Verily that is coming 

 to pass that we shall be separated one from another, and also we 

 shall not see one another again. Not also shall we converse together 

 again. That until the time shall come that the unfulfilled matter 

 which is to come to pass here upon the earth, then and only then 

 you will hear my voice again, imtil the time shall have come." 



At that time the Elder Man became ill, and then it was not long 

 until he died. At that time Elder Woman said, "What manner of 

 thing shall we do in this thing that has befallen us?" At that time 

 then her son, the down-fended, said, "I verily, perhaps, so shall do 

 as he has ordered. That verily he said, ' On the top of the tree 

 shall lie my body.' " 



Then the Elder Woman set to work making the casing (coffin), 

 and bark was the kind of thing out of which she made it, wherein 

 they did enclose his body. Then when she completed her task 

 they took up his body and they placed it in the casing of bark. At 

 this time, then, the Elder Woman said, "Now verily 1 have com- 

 pleted what was needful for your (two) uncle. Now verily the time 

 has come that we shall separate. Now it will be impossible for us 

 to converse again." Then this male youth, the down-fended, took 

 up this casing, placing it on his shoulder, and then he started and 

 went toward the place where stood the very tallest pine tree. As 

 soon as he arrived there he climbed it. At the very top of the tree 

 he placed the casing with the body. Now as to the Elder Woman, 

 she watched what was taking place. Then verily she became greatly 

 astonished at what she saw. Then at that time this male youth 

 descended. 



Then at this time verily she concealed again his body. She again 

 put him in the place where he was accustomed to abide. 



Then during the time that the Elder Woman dwelled by herself 

 she was surprised that a man came in the lodge and said, "Whither 

 have they your family gone?" Then this Elder W^oman replied, 

 " They all are absent." Then this man answered, saying, " What I 

 am coming to do, you know, is a matter of ill omen; that is, he our 

 chief, the Owner of the Standing Tree, has sent me. I have come to 

 say that it has become necessary to him that aU the people dwelling 

 here should receive the notice that it might either be possible that 

 one should ' seek his word,' or next to that that one should ' dis- 

 cover his word.' That then verily thou shalt tell when thy family 

 will return. That is also needful that everyone should receive a 



