224 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS Ietu. ann. 32 



Tlie nephew wondered why they were always alone, so he asked 

 his uncle whether there were other people living in that region. In 

 reply the uncle said: " Far off in the west there are people powerful 

 in sorcery, who took all our tribe captive except us two. This is 

 the reason we are alone and have no neighbors." 



Then the boy wondered why his uncle gave him such small, poor 

 potatoes to eat. He saw his uncle put large ones into the pot, but 

 in the morning only small ones were left. So one night the nephew 

 made a hole in the skin cover under which he slept, to watch his 

 uncle. Toward midnight he saw iiis uncle get up and strike a light, 

 and then going to an old couch in the corner of the lodge, in which 

 no one seemingly slept, raise the top and call out a young man, who 

 was beautiful to look upon, strong, and active. Both the uncle and 

 the strange young man sat down by tlie fire. The potatoes, covered 

 with moss, were simmering over the flames. The uncle uncovered 

 them, picked out the best for his nephew, and brought him also 

 meat and other food. After they had eaten heartily, the uncle sang 

 and kept time for the young man with a turtle rattle while the latter 

 danced. The little boy looked intently all the time at the young 

 man, saying to himself, " I suppose that is my brother ; now we will 

 have some fun." After the young man had finished dancing the 

 uncle put him under the couch again and, banking the fire, lay down 

 on his own couch. 



The next morning, as soon as the uncle had gone to hunt and to 

 dig potatoes, the little boy went to the couch, and raising the corner 

 of the cover, said, " Come out ! come out here ! brother, to me." " Oh, 

 no! " said the young man, "I can not go out in the daytime; those 

 women off there in the west, the Wadi'oniondies, would hear me." 

 "Oh, never mind; they will not hear you," said the boy. "Oh, yes; 

 they will hear me, and the moment I come out they will carry me off. 

 They do not Imow now that I am here, but the moment I make a 

 noise they will hear it and will come for me." The little follow teased 

 and begged so hard, however, that his brother came out at last. 

 After eating together, one danced and then the other, until at last 

 the young man heard the women calling in the distance, " Ween, 

 Ween." Instantly the elder brother, jumping under the couch, cov- 

 ered himself. 



All this time the little boy kept shaking the rattle and dancing 

 with all his might. Soon two women appeared from the west, sailing 

 in a canoe through the air. "Oh! where is he?" cried they. "Your 

 brother! where is he?" said one of the women. "I have only an 

 uncle, who is old. He is now off hunting," said the boy. " There is 

 somebody here with you in the lodge," said one of the women. " Oh. 

 no I " said the boy, " I am alone." " Oh ! you little rogue, you lie," 

 said the woman. " If I should lie, that is my business," answered the 



