234 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [bth. ann.82 



pared for the race." They saw no ditFerence whatever between the 

 person before them and their adopted son. There were many people 

 present, for the viUape seemed to be very large. Meanw.hile the 

 hunter who had accepted the challenge was off in the woods. One 

 of the dogs said to him. " They are now ready to start. They have 

 started." Though far off in the W'Oods, the dogs seemed to see every- 

 thing. All at once th^y called out: " Owe! Owe! Our brother has 

 won the race. Did we not tell you that he would never be outrun? 

 Now we may as well go home." So they started homeward. They 

 had been at the lodge but a short time when the runner came in, and, 

 taking off the garments of the hunter, who then put them on again, 

 the three dogs laid down bj' the fire. 



It is said that during the race the chief, seeing that he was out- 

 stripped, threw a horn after the dog-man, which stuck into his foot. 

 While the dog-man was trying to pull out the horn, the chief passed 

 him, calling, "What are you doing there? Get up!" By the time 

 the dog-man had drawn the horn out of his foot, his enemy was 

 near the goal. But, springing up, he threw the horn at his enemy; 

 it stuck into the chief's foot, causing him to fall to the ground. 

 Then the dog-man ran ahead, calling out, " AVhy do you not get up? 

 You can not sit there and beat me." But before the chief could pull 

 out the horn, the dog-man had passed the goal. 



When the old man came home he said to his son, " I thank you for 

 outrunning your enemy ; there has never beer: anyone to outrun him : 

 all have been beaten. Since the wager was heads, _you can talce his 

 life whenever you wish." Then he asked the man whether he had 

 done his best. " No," said he, " I used about half my strength." 

 "Very well," said the old man; "he has another game to propose; 

 he will never stop proposing trials of strength, skill, or speed until 

 he has taken your life. To be beaten this time makes him vei"y angry ; 

 in two days he will challenge you to play ball with him." "All right," 

 replied the man, " I am ready to meet him." 



In two days they saw the chief coming, and as he entered the lodge. 

 he said : " I am sick for a game of ball, and I challenge you to play 

 a game against me ; you won in one game, so now try another. I Will 

 wager all I have, and if you win, you shall be chief in my place." 

 The man replied : " I also am sick from lack of amusement and I 

 accept j'our challenge. I have never met the man who could lieat me 

 in a game of ball. But give me time. You have come unexpectedly, 

 and I must make a ball club." " Very well," said the chief, going 

 away. 



The bent ball club the hunter hung up to season, and the old man 

 made strings; the next day they netted the club. They were ready 

 just in time to go to the ball ground. The time appointed for the 

 game was at midday, and the old man and woman said, "We shall 



