484 IROQUOIAN COSMOLOGY [eth. ann. « 



diately said, "I saw, behold, a man sitting far yonder. Ai\d so he 

 asks that he and I should marry." Then the woman said, "What 

 then didst thou say?" Then the maiden said, "I said, 'My mother 

 verily will decide that.'" Then the Elder Woman said," In that also 

 thou didst right in what you did. Wliat then was the kind of rai- 

 ment the man wore whom thou didst see?" The maiden said in 

 reply, "His raiment was gray in color, and verily his face was striped 

 with black." Then the Elder Woman said, "I will not consent to 

 that. Then do thou go back there and say thou, 'Not, she says, she 

 will consent to the thing for which thou didst ask.'" Then the 

 maiden returned to that place where the man sat. When she reached 

 there she said, "My mother did not consent that thou and I should 

 marry." Then the man said, "Not verily, perhaps, has anything 

 gone amiss in what has taken place." At that time then he turned 

 around and then he transformed himself. She looked and saw he 

 became again a Raccoon. Then at that time the maiden returned 

 home. 



A few days after the maiden agam went out to fetch wood. Then 

 there where she obtained the wood she verily made herself a bundle. 

 Just as she had finished her bundle then there arrived a man,'^ and 

 he said, "Wouldst thou consent that it be I, that we two should 

 marry?" Then at that time she looked at him and she saw that his 

 body was dirty and that his mantle had long scallops all around it. 

 Then said she, "I will not decide. I will go to tell my mother, verily, 

 fii'st; she will verily decide that." Then at that time she took up 

 the bundle of wood and departed homeward. When she returned 

 home she said, "I saw, behold, a man standing far yonder. Truly 

 his body was dirty and the flaps were broad on his leggings, and his 

 mantle had deep scallops all around, and he said, 'Let thou and I 

 marry.' " 



At that time then the Elder Woman said, "What did you say in 

 your positive statement?" Then the maiden spoke, saying, "I 

 said, 'My mother verily will decide the matter about which thou art 

 speaking.'" At that time the Elder Woman said, "My daughter, 

 I am thankful that verily thou didst accomplish the matter. For 

 verily, that man, as is well known, is immune (invulnerable). 

 Now then I confirm the matter that you two shall marry. Now 

 then verily invite him to come." Then at that time the maiden 

 returned to the place where the man was standing. Then when she 

 again arrived there she said, "My mother confirmed the matter 

 about which thou art asking. Now then I mvite you to come. Now 

 then thou wilt go there to the place where my mother and I abide." 

 Then the man said, "Not, perhaps, it should thus come to pass that 

 immediately I should accompany thee home. I will first go and 



See note on p. 609. 



