HEwS LEGENDS 373 



blanket, the old woman took it home. She did not Imow, she did not 

 even suspect, that her daughter was with child when she died. 



The little boy grew very rapidly. When he was of good size the 

 old woman came home one day from gathering wood but could not 

 find him. That night it stormed, with thunder and lightning raging. 

 In the morning the child returned to her. His grandmother asked, 

 "Where have you been, my grandson?" "Grandmother," said he, 

 "I have been with my father; he took me to his home." "Who is 

 your father ? " " Hinon is my father ; he took me home first, then we 

 came back and were all about here last night." The old woman 

 f;sked, " Was my daughter, your mother, in the grave? " " Yes," said 

 the boy. " and Hinon used to come to see my mother." The old 

 woman believed what he said. 



As the boy grew he used to make a noise like that of thunder, and 

 whenever Hinon came to the neighborhood he would go out and 

 thunder, thus helping his father, for he was Hinon Hohawaqk, the 

 son of Hinon. 



Some time after this the boy asked his grandmother where his six 

 aunts were, and the grandmother answered- "There are an old 

 woman and her son, whose lodge is far away; they live by playing 

 dice and betting. Your aunts went one by one with a company of 

 people, and played dice (plum pits) ; being beaten, their heads were 

 cut off. Many men and women have gone to the same place and have 

 lost their heads." Hinon Hohawaqk answered. " I will go, too, and 

 will kill that woman and her son." The old woman tried to keep 

 him home, but he would not remain with her. He told her to make 

 two pairs of moccasins for him. He was very ragged and dirty, so 

 she made the moccasins and got him the skin of a flying-squirrel for 

 a pouch. 



Setting off toward the west, soon he came to a great opening whei-e 

 there was a large bark lodge with a pole in front of it, and on the 

 pole a skin robe. He saw boys playing ball in the opening, and going 

 on a side path, he heard a great noise. After a while the people 

 saw him, whereupon one of them said, " I do not know where that 

 boy comes from." The old people were betting and the boys were 

 playing ball. Soon an old man came up to Hinon Hohawaqk and 

 gave him a club; he pla3'ed so well that the old man came again, 

 saying, "We want you to play dice; all the people will bet on you." 

 A bowl was placed on an elk skin lying under the pole. The woman 

 and her son were there and the other people stood around. Hinon 

 Hohawaqk answered, " I do not know how to play the game." The 

 old man replied, "We will risk our heads on you;" so he followed 

 the old man. He saw a white stone bowl as smooth as glass. The 

 old woman was sitting there on the elk skin, ready to play, and 

 Hinon Hohawaqk knelt down beside the bowl. She said, " You 



