804 IROQUOIAN COSMOLOGY |eth. ann.43 



it ceased and one of the hosts of De'hae'"hyo'we°'s said, calling his 

 guests back, "Oh, come back. We have now killed this creature." 



Thereupon, when they had again assembled they departed, going 

 back to their lodge. When they reached the lodge they said to the 

 old woman, "We have now killed that uncanny creature, that otkon. 

 Indeed, we do not laiow in what possible way it happened that this 

 creature took up its abode so very near this lodge. We had never 

 before noticed it. Perhaps it has been there a long time, since it 

 had become so large m size. We have, perhaps, barely escaped some 

 great misfortune. " The old woman replied, saying gratefully, "What 

 a very remarkable matter it is, in which our visitors have been of 

 assistance to us," and then in a moment she asked, "What is the 

 otkon? What is the figure and kind of thing you have so fortunately 

 killed?" The men answered, "It is, indeed, the Great Blue Lizard, 

 which we have destroyed. " So they rested for the night. 



The next morning the old woman said to the men of her lodge, 

 "For myself, I am thinking that it is time, the exact time of the 

 year, when you should again make mellow and dampen all the things 

 that grow on the earth. What do you say?" 



Thereupon, one of the men replied, "It would seem well, perhaps, 

 that you should ask Him who is the principal one to be consulted 

 in regard to our duties in this matter. It is possible that He may 

 say, 'It is now the proper time of the year in which you should 

 again make mellow and dampen all the things that severally grow 

 on the earth. ' " And he ceased from talking with her. 



Then the aged woman arose from her seat and gently pushing 

 aside the door flap hanging at the doorway leading to the adjoining 

 room said, "Do you not think that it is now, perhaps, the proper 

 time that the men should again make damp and mellow the things 

 that grow on the earth and the soil as well?" 



Then the person addressed answered, saying, "For myself, I, too, 

 think that it is time, perhaps, for doing that about which you have 

 asked me. So let it be done as you wish. " 



Then, allowing the door flap to fall back the old woman withdrew 

 to her own location in the lodge. And in order to make the needed 

 preparations for carrying out the purpose of her request she gathered 

 a quantity of corn husks and again entered the place in which the 

 lake of water was and she again heaped the corn husks along the edge 

 or shore of the lake. When she had placed the corn husks along the 

 entire circuit of the lake she set them on fire. 



When the fire had become brisk and bright the old woman turned 

 to the men of the lodge and said to them, "I have now, again, made 

 the necessary preparations for the performance of your accustomed 

 task. And now, moreover, you had better start on your journey to 

 make all things that grow on the earth damp and mellow, and the soil 



