82 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. ann. 32 



dwell Seven Sisters and an old woman, their mother and tutor. 

 These people are imnnine from the effects of normal orenda or magic 

 power; and it is these people who have the tobacco." After a pause 

 he added : "Along the way througii which the path thither goes are 

 obstructions of the most ai)palling character. In the first jilace. 

 there stands a Tree, a Pine Tree, whose leaves drop on the intruder, 

 piercing his body and causing him to die. Some distance beyond 

 this point are two living things, which are called Osigwaon; that 

 is, two huge Rattlesnakes, which occupy each side of the path, and 

 which bite with deadly effect any intruder. Still farther beyond 

 stands a great rock, through an opening in which passes the path, 

 and there stand two great living things, two S'hagodiyoweqgowa, 

 which also have the power to kill any intruder who may succeed "in 

 leaching this point. Farther on flows a river, on the other side 

 of which stand two Blue Herons, whose duty it is to give an alarm 

 by loud cries to the Seven Sisters and their mother on the ajiproach 

 of any intruder; and these, on hearing the alarm, issue from their 

 lodge in great fury, carrying their war clubs, with which they 

 quickly dispatch the unwelcome intruder. Still farther on toward 

 the lodge stands a tree, on which hangs the dried skin of a human 

 being, which, on the approach of an intruder, sings, thereby giving 

 the inmates of the lodge warning of the approach of any person 

 whatsoever, and these at once issue from their home, bearing their 

 war clubs, to kill the unwelcome guest." After a long pause the 

 man of skin an J bones continued : " This is the number of the things 

 which have thj power to kill persons along the pathway to the place 

 where the tobacco is to be found." ^ 



Then the boy replied: "That is all right, for it will not prevent 

 me from going after the tobacco, and then you shall be able to smoke. 

 At all events, I will go after the tobacco; I will start tomorrow." 

 Earh^ the next morning he started on his perilous journey toward the 

 place where the tobacco could be found. 



In time he arrived at the place where the first obstacle barred his 

 way, the Pine Tree having the magic power (orenda) ; this he found 

 had been transformed into a hickory tree. After looking at it for 

 some time, he finally rushed past it just as it was, although he boast- 

 ingly exclaimed, "It shall not fall on me." And truly when he had 

 got beyond the tree he stopped and found that not a thing had 

 touched him. 



Continuing his course, finally he came to the spot where the two 

 Rattlesnakes stood guard over the pathway. Going into the bushes 

 which surrounded the path, to hunt for two chipmunks, he killed 

 two. Returning to the two Rattlesnakes, he gave a chipmunk to each, 

 saying, " You must not in any manner enchant me. I recompense 



