330 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. ann.3: 



have been bewitched by their lodge," replied Tsodiqgwadon; "let 

 me feel your neck ? " When Doonongaes held his head down Tsodiq- 

 gwadon saw the end of a flint knife. He tried to pull it out; he 

 continued to try all night long, and just as the sun --* arose he drew it 

 out. " There ! I have it," said he. " The wizards bewitched you. 

 There are many more wizards than you know of. I have cured you 

 now for life." Taking up the knife, Doonongaes looked at it and 

 said. " How strong I am to carry so long a knife in my neck so many 

 years." ^ 



Continuing their journey, Doonongaes and his companion soon 

 came to a village where no one was found, although smoke arose 

 from every lodge's smoke-hole. " This must be the place I visited 

 once before," said Doonongaes; "there is something very mysterious 

 about it." " No, there is nothing mysterious here," replied Tsodiq- 

 gwadon. "The place is always kept this way. It is kept for people 

 who are traveling around the world, so that when they come to this 

 village they can eat whatever they like. It is called Yondekhon- 

 yatha Ganondayen." "^ " Who has arranged all this? " asked Doon- 

 ongaes. " A Great Power "" in the Blue Sky made this village, so 

 every man could eat here," answered Tsodiqgwadon. " Very well, let 

 us eat, then," said Doonongaes. So, going into one of the lodges, they 

 took meat in a bowl. When they were ready to eat, Tsodiqgwadon 

 began to laugh. "Why do you laugh?" asked Doonongaes; "you 

 said this belonged to all people who are on the trail." Tsodiq- 

 gwadon had now become what Doonongaes was — that is, S'hodieon- 

 skon — and he said, " I will go outside for a moment." While Tsodiq- 

 gwadon went out, Doonongaes began to eat. At that moment he felt 

 that someone was there. On turning around, he saw a Stone Coat -■ 

 sharpening his chert knife — yes. he saw several sitting around, 

 all sharpening their chert knives. " What are you sharpening your 

 knives for? " asked Doonongaes. "We are going to kill you," came 

 the reply. " Wait until I am ready. Give me fair play," said 

 Doonongaes. "All right," was the reply, " but you must hurry up." 

 He went to the woods where he found Tsodiqgwadon. who, laugh- 

 ing, asked, " Did you see anything to frighten you? " " Yes; I have 

 a fight on my hands," answered Doonongaes. " AVell, I am going 

 en." said Tsodiqgwadon; " all the help I will give you is to tell you 

 what kind of a weapon these people are afraid of. It is a basswood --'' 

 knife." " Should I not make a flint club ? " asked Doonongaes. " No ; 

 that would not hurt them a bit. Make a basswood club." came the 

 answer. Doonongaes made, therefore, both a basswood knife and a 

 club, and then, going back to the Stone Coats, he said, " I am 

 ready." When f^ey saw his basswood knife and club they were ter- 

 ribly frightened, and ran off as fast as they could towaid the north, 

 chased by Doonongaes. The first one he overtook he hit on the head 



