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„E,viTT) DE'HODYA'TKA EWENi 809 



it fair in the head, and then the body of the Squirrel came tumbling 

 to the ground. 



Thereupon the Men of Thunder took up the body of the Squirrel to 

 carry back with them and then with their guests they started for their 

 home. When they reached their lodge the Men of Thunder said to 

 the old woman, "Now, in fact, our visitors, for their part, have killed 

 it — they have, indeed, killed the Otkon, which for a very long time 

 we have failed to kill." 



Answering this statement of the men of her lodge, the old woman 

 said, "I am indeed very thankful to receive this news. This then 

 shall be done; the skin of this Otkon shall belong to me, seeing that it 

 is so precious, and it shall be the robe of my couch." 



And so De'hae°'hyo'we'"s set to work and carefully skinnetl tlie 

 Squirrel; and then he neatly prepared it and then he spread it on a 

 suitable frame to dry. When it had thoroughly dried De'hae°'hy- 

 o^ve^'s presented it to the old woman, assuring her that that was the 

 method his people employed in preserving the skins of animals. The 

 old woman received the skin with many thanks, for she felt that she 

 had come into possession of a skin which was very precious to her. 



Then, addressing the men of her lodge she said, "They who are our 

 visitors are the ones who have accomplished this matter for us. So in 

 token of this the following shall come to pass; and that is, that one of 

 these persons, our visitors, shall remain here as one of us; he shall 

 become a co-worker with you, for the reason that he and his kindred 

 were able to accomplish that which you yourselves were imable to do." 



In giving assent to this proposition the men replied, "Let that, too, 

 be done; let Him who is foremost among us speak it, and it shall be 

 done." The old woman replied, "That is even so; His consent is all 

 that is required to accomplish this desirable thing." And she at once 

 arose from her seat, and going thence to the doorway leading to the 

 adjoining room, and pushing aside the door flap she said, "Behold. 

 Will you confirm the proposition that one of the men visiting us shall 

 remain here as one of us, while his companions shall return hence to 

 their own homes? And the reason for this is, that he was able to kill 

 the Squirrel — the Otkon — and since the men who live in this lodge had 

 for so long a time failed to do it; I desire further that he shall at all 

 times assist them and that he shall be a co-worker with them." 



Answering the old woman, De'hodya'tga'ewe"' said, "I willingly 

 confirm this proposition, if it so be, that he himself is freely willing, 

 and, of course, that he will, perhaps, volunteer to have his life pounded 

 (in a mortar). It will then, as you know, be possible for him to help 

 them continually." And He ceased speaking. 



Then the old woman returned to the group comprising the party 

 of De'hae°'hyo'we°'s and said to elect man, "Hatch'kwi' (Behold), 

 19078°— 28 52 



