184 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS |kth. ann.32 



could not get them all of one color. At last he ceased his ell'orts. 

 Then the boy threw his own <lice, and. like the others, they went out 

 of the smoke hole and. tui'ninp; into birds, flew off. Thereupon the 

 old man began to stir the dish, saying, "I wish this. I wish that." 

 Down came the birds a.s plum pits. Tlien both stirred them, repeat- 

 ing. " I wish this. I wish that," and they all turned to one color. 

 AA'hcn the old man saw that he had lost the game he Avished to play 

 once more. "Oh, no," said the boy; "that is not the rule." "Well, 

 let me smoke once more," begged the old man. "No," the boy said, 

 and, catching up a tomahawk, he cut off the old man's forfeited head. 

 Afterward he set the cabin afire. Later he went home, but said noth- 

 ing about his adventure. 



After a few days he thought he would go again toward the setting 

 sun. Passing the old man's place, he soon came to another opening, 

 in which he saw a second cabin. All around it the ground was very 

 smooth as if it were a great playground. Seeing nobody, he walked 

 up quietly and peeped into the cabin; an old man sitting witiiin 

 called out: "Is that you, nephew? Come in. I have been waiting 

 for you now some time." " Yes. I was going by. and I thought I would 

 look in and see you." said the boy. " AVell. I ha\e a way of passmg 

 time. I play a game when my niphews come." declared the old man. 

 ■■ AVhat is your game?" asked the boy. "Playing ball," ij|)lied the 

 (■Id man. " I like that game." answered the youth. " I bet my head 

 against my nephew's." said the old man. "All i-ight. Let us play, 

 then," was the boy's reply. They went to the middle of the clearing. 

 At each end was a stake. The young man said. "Are you ready?" 

 Counting. " One. two. three." they threw th'i ball. The old man beat 

 the young man in throwing, but the young man struck the ball, and 

 was the better runner. When he »'as getting far ahead, the old man 

 threw a horn after him. which stuck into the middle of the boy's 

 loot. lie had to stop, sit down, and pull out the horn. Just as he 

 di'ew it out. the old man passed him. Spitting on his hand, the young 

 man rubbed his foot, and it was healed. He then threw the horn, 

 hitting the old man, who now had to sit down and pull the horn 

 out of his own foot. The ball rolled oh, passing between the stakes. 

 At the ne.xt turn the result was the same, no the game was lost for 

 the old man. who wanted to try again; but the young ijian said. '' No: 

 that is not the rule." Thereupon with his knife he cut off tlic old 

 man's head. and. after burning his cabin, went home. 



A third time the youth went toward the setting sun. farther than 

 liefore. Passing the first and second clearings, he came to a third, 

 in which he sav\- a great pond covered with ice; near it was a cabin. 

 As the young man })eeped in, an old man sitting there called out: 

 " A\'ell. nephew, I knew you would come. I am glad to see you." 

 " Yes, I thought I would look in and see you. Now I must go," 



