76 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [ktii .\xn.32 



liiin from the periloii^^ situation tlicv carripd iiim lionie. where tliey 

 pro])crlv' ciired for him, givinj;; him food and di'inU and dressing liis 

 wounds. 



The next niiH-iiiiig (he youiiirer brothers said one to tiie other, 

 "The woman who is d\vellin<i; iiere has aliused us in this matter: 

 therefore let her return to her iiome." Overhearing this speech, tlie 

 young woman replied, "It is well. Now. I shall go iiome." .Vinl. 

 arising in her place, she departed. 



The fifth brother started in pursuit of her; and as he was aliont to 

 grasp her, she let her skin robe fly back in such a manner that it 

 took out the eyes of her ])ursuer. AVhen the other brothers became 

 aware of this misfortune which had befallen him, they were very 

 angry and started in pursuit of the young woman. Ju.st as they 

 were about to grasp her, again she let her skin robe fly back so that 

 it took out the eyes of all the |)ni-sning l)rothers. Then, indeed, tliev 

 wei'e very miserable. 



And now all the work about the lodge fell to the lot of the little 

 girl, the young sister of these blind brothers. These ate whatever 

 their young sister, all alone, was able to get for them — weeds and 

 roots of various kinds. She was in the habit of running around out 

 of doers. 



One day when she had gone for water she saw some boys coming, 

 paddling in a canoe and making a great noise as they di'ew near, 

 laughing and shouting. AA^hen they arrived where she was they ex- 

 claimed. "■ Come hither. Get aboard and let us have some fun." P>nt 

 she replied, '' Xo; it will not be possible for me to do so. I will not 

 do so, because I am taking care of my elder brothers. They would 

 become too miserable should I leave them." But they persisted, say- 

 ing, " Now, anyway, for a short distance you can leap into this canoe."" 

 She finally decided to coinply with their request, and saying. " In- 

 deed, yes!" she got alioard the canoe at once. Then they started 

 back, and when they arrived at a bend of the river the little girl 

 said, "Now I will get out of the canoe." But her captors, saying. 

 "Come still a short distance farther," started on. 



Matters continued in this wise until they had gone a long distance. 

 Then the little girl began to weep. Looking i)ack, she saw a man 

 ugly beyond measure, being \ery filthy in body and exceedingly fat. 

 with a very broad face and an enormous stomach. Then the little 

 girl looked to the how of tlu> canoe to see the man who had been 

 sitting there, but he was gone; and she wept aloud. The canoe went 

 directly toward the middle of the lake. AVliile paddling along they 

 saw an island on which stood a lodge. On landing, the ugly man 

 said ; " Let us enter the place where thy grandmother has her lodge. 

 And, moreover, you must continue to reside here. There lives here, 

 too, another girl, who will be your comiianion. You two may play 



