HEWITTI 



MYTH OF THE EARTH-GRASPER 483 



Then this thing whereon the woman abode now began to continue 

 to grow. Just as the earth had reached or attained a suitable size, 

 she then gave birth to a child. The child was a woman child. Then 

 verily she there cared for her. And then the child continued to 

 grow rapidly. 



It was not a long time verily before her daughter became a maiden. 

 That came to pass. Now, verily, customarily she went about from 

 place to place; she went about examining carefully the size of the 

 earth where they two women lived. She was surprised then at seeing 

 a man there watching her. Then he said, "Wilt thou not consent 

 that thou and I should marry? It seems verily that thou art seeking 

 for somebody." 



Then at that time she looked him over carefully; she saw him and 

 saw that his raiment was yellow in color. Then at that time she 

 spoke, saying, "Not verily of my own will should I answer you any- 

 thing. I will then tell my mother first. It is she verily who shall will 

 it." At that time then she turned about and then they went home. 

 Then when she reached the place where her mother abode she said, 

 "I saw, behold, a man standing far away yonder. He asked verily 

 that he and I should marry." At that time the Elder Woman spoke, 

 saying, "What thmg didst thou answer?" Then at that tune the 

 maiden said, "I said that my mother verily will decide what thing I 

 will reply to thee." Then the Elder Woman said, "Thou didst do 

 right in the way you did it. What then did he look like and what 

 kind of raiment then did the man have whom thou didst see" ? The 

 maiden said, "He was handsome and his raiment was yellow." 



The Elder Woman said, "I will not consent to it. Go back then 

 there and say, 'My mother does not consent to the thing for which 

 you ask,'" Then at that time verily the maiden went back there. 

 When she arrived there again at that place where the man was stand- 

 ing she said, "My mother did not consent." Then the man now 

 said, "Not, too, is my mind affronted." And then he turned around 

 and departed. Now, the maiden looked and saw him transform him- 

 self there. He was not a human being; he became again a Fox. At 

 that time then the maiden returned to her home. 



A few days after then she again went to travel about. She went 

 along examining things on the shore of the water. While she was 

 moving along she was surprised to see a man sitting there on a rock. 

 Then that one said, "It seems, perhaps, that thou art looking for a 

 companion. Wouldst thou then consent that thou and I should 

 marry?" Then the maiden said, "My mother verUy must decide. 

 I will go back to tell her then first what thing thou art asking of 

 me." Then she looked at him. She saw then that his raiment was 

 of gray color and that his face was striped with black. Then at that 

 tune verily she returned home. AVhen she reached home she imme- 



