^^i^ FICTION 99 



jumped into the middle of the deei" lick, sinking almost to his waist 

 in the mud; he could not get out, but he could with great difficulty 

 take a single step forward. He saw the Ganiagwaihegowa coming 

 toward the lick; when it gut to the place whence he leaped, it jumped 

 after him. He dragged himself along, pulling one leg after the other; 

 the animal sank so it could scarcely move. The man at last got to 

 solid ground, but the Ganiagwaihegowa sank deeper and deeper. 

 When it reached the center of the lick it sank out of sight. 



Tlie man ran some distance and sat down on a fallen tree. He did 

 not know what to do ; he was faint from hunger, having had nothing 

 to eat, and was too tired to hunt. Soon a man approached and said, 

 "You think you are going to die?" "Yes," he answered. "No; 

 3'OU will not ; I come to assist you. Go where I came from, off in this 

 direction," he said, pointing to one side. " You will find a fire and 

 over it a pot ; rest there and eat ; men will come and trouble you, but 

 pay no attention to them. When you sit down to eat one will say, 

 'Throw a small piece over this way'; another will say, 'Throw a bit 

 over this way'; but pay no heed to them. If you throw even a bit, 

 you are lost, for they will destroy you." 



He went as directed and found meat and hulled corn in the kettle. 

 As he ate, it seemed as though a crowd formed in a circle around 

 him, all begging for a portion. They kept it up all night, but he 

 paid no heed to their begging. 



In the morning, after he had traveled a short distance, he met the 

 same man who sent him to the kettle, who now said to him : " I am 

 glad that you did as I told you. Now you will live. Go toward the 

 east, and when it is near night sit down by a tree. I will come to 

 you." 



He traveled all day, and near sunset he found a fallen tree and sat 

 down. Soon the man came and said : " Follow my tracks a little way 

 and 3'ou will find a fire and a kettle with meat and hulled corn in it ; 

 you will be troubled as you were last night, but pay no heed to the 

 words; if you escape tonight, you will have no more trouble." 



He went as directed; he found the fire and the kettle hanging 

 over it; the kettle was filled with meat and hulled corn. That niglit 

 a crowd around him begged for food as they did the night before, 

 but he paid no attention to them. After he had started in the morn- 

 ing the man met him and said, "Keep on your way; you will meet 

 no further danger, and will reach home safe and well." After going 

 on a little way he turned to look at his friend, and saw that instead 

 of being a man it was S'hagodiyoweqgowa.^^ He went along, and to- 

 ward night he began to think he had better look for game. He saw 

 a deer, which he shot and killed ; then, building a fire, he roasted 

 and ate some pieces of venison. He was now in full strength. 



