166 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS (bth. ann. 32 



They then went back to the lodge and ate. As the day passed, the 

 old man said to the two friends, " You may stay and live with us 

 or go home, as you choose." The old man said : " I am old and can 

 not help you, but my young friend — the little boy — may stay. He 

 is very powerful in orenda. He can do anything, and will be of 

 great assistance to you." " Well," said the Hinon, " we are going to 

 your place this evening. There will be a great dance there tonight. 

 We will all go and have some sport, and will carry you as we pass 

 along in the clouds." 



After dark, when the council lodge was full of men and women 

 dancing, the old man, the boy, and the Hinon went in. As the 

 Hinon entered, they began to dance. When they shook their heads 

 the lightnings began to play around the lodge. The chiefs said, 

 " Our grandfathers are here tonight. They should behave them- 

 selves or they may do us harm." Then for a little while the Hinon 

 quieted down. Later, again becoming excited in the dance, they 

 shook their heads until the lightning flashed everywhere and the 

 people were afraid. 



After dancing as much as they wished the Hinon went home, 

 leaving the old man but taking the boy with them, and today the 

 little boy goes with them everywhere. "And after the great peals of 

 thunder we hear the little fellow with his boyish voice, and we say, 

 ' That is the boy.' We burn tobacco to him, saying, ' This is all we 

 have to give you,' and we thank him for the rain that he and the 

 Hinon bring," say the Seneca. 



29. The Story of the Girls Who Went for a Husband*' 



There was an old woman Yegondji of the Awaeh people with 

 three daughters who had grown to young womanhood. One day 

 she said : " My daughters, I have had a great deal of trouble in 

 rearing you, and thus far I have not eaten anything but onehsa 

 [moss] ; now I should like to have some meat to eat. You are old 

 enough to get married. There is a rich woman of the Donyonda 

 people, named Doendjowens. who has a son, Tagonsowes. He is a 

 good young man and a great hunter. I want two of you to go to her 

 lodge and marry this son." 



The girls set to pounding corn for the marriage bread. The old 

 woman baked 22 cakes in the ashes, which she wrapped in corn husks. 

 The next morning she dressed the girls' hair and painted their faces 

 with red stripes. She told the elder to carry the basket, and cau- 

 tioned them, saying, " Stop nowhere until you come to the lodge of 

 Doendjowens, and do not inquire of anyone on the way, or speak to 

 any man." The elder daughter took the basket and the younger 

 followed her. 



