346 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. ann. 32 



off the man's head and tore off the flesh; then he kejjt kicking away 

 the pieces as they came back. It so happened that if the fragments 

 of flesh could be kept away until cool, their strength died, so that 

 they could not come back. Hence the chief continued to fight 

 in this manner until at last he killed the big man. When the fight 

 was over, and the few of the enemy remaining had run away, only 

 15 of the chief's men were left, as 15 had been killed. The survivors 

 piled up the bodies, and this time they threw earth over them, as so 

 many of their own people were among the dead. Then all started 

 for home, where the}' remained a long time. 



When the chief had reached the prime of life he said: "I am 

 getting well advanced in years and delight in warfare. I want to 

 have one more expedition, then I shall be satisfied." People vol- 

 unteered to go and 40 were made read.y, for that number constituted 

 as large a party as was wanted. These started, going toward the 

 south. (The people they fought with came from the south.) The 

 young man had a dream, in which a man said : " I have come to tell 

 you that you are to have a diificult time, for a man will he among 

 the enemy who is very powerful, and I am unable to tell you whether 

 you will conquer him or not. Tomorrow at noon you will meet the 

 enemy, and just 1 efbre noon an owl will come on your trail, saying, 

 ' Be ready ; your enemy is at hand.' Then you can get ready to 

 fight." Having told his dream in the morning, they started on. 

 Toward noon they heard the hooting of an owd ; it flew along their 

 trail, and alighting on a tree, said : '' The enemy is near, and they 

 have made this expedition to fight, as you have. Then each of you 

 will be satisfied." The chief said : " Get ready immediately. Hang 

 up your bundles. I do not know how we shall come out if the man 

 keeps on throwing me; if he throws me twice, run." While they 

 were hanging up their bundles the war whoop was given by the ad- 

 vancing enemy. Now, as the dream had foretold, the chief saw the 

 strong man, and realized that he was stronger than he was himself. 

 As they were nearing each other, the opposite side kept calling out: 

 " We have come to destroy you. You have destroyed all our other 

 expeditions; now we will finish you." The chief and the strong 

 man met and fought first with clubs. Then, clinching, they strug- 

 gled a long time. At last the chief was thrown ; then the strong 

 man struggled to kee]) him down, but the chief, arising, threw his 

 enemy, who barely touched the ground before he was up again. The 

 next time the chief was thrown his men began to run, but turning to 

 look, they stood watching the two men fight. They saw their chief's 

 arm pidled off, but it flew back into place: then his head was thrown 

 off, whei'eupon they saw he was weakening: so some ran home, but 

 five remained in hiding. The enemy began to walk around, gather- 

 ing up the pieces of the head, for they thought all the opposing 



