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



-play first." " No," answered he, " you play first." So she took out 

 her dice, which were round and made from plum stones, and blow- 

 ing on them, cast them into the bowl, which she shook, at the same 

 time calling out, " Game ! game ! " The dice flew up into the air, all 

 becoming crows and cawing as they went out of sight. After a 

 while they came down, still cawing, and resumed the form of plum 

 stones as they settled in the bowl. The old woman had three plays 

 to make a count of seventeen. She threw three times but got noth- 

 ing. Then Hinon Hohawaqk in order to win took dice out of his 

 pouch of flying-squirrel skin. The old woman wanted him to use 

 her dice, but he would not touch them. Placing his dice in the 

 bowl, he shook, whereupon the dice, becoming ducks, flew upward. 

 They went very high, and all the people heard them as they rose; 

 when thej' touched the bowl again they were plum stones, and 

 scored 10. Then Hinon Hohawaqk shook the bowl again, calling. 

 "Game! game!" while the old woman called out, "No game!" 

 Back came the dice, scoring another 10. He cast the third time and 

 scored 10 more. He had won. Then he called the people to see 

 him cut off the heads of the old woman and her «on. " No," said 

 the old woman, "you must play again. Here is my son; you must 

 play ball with him, and if he loses we shall both forfeit our heads." 

 At this Hinon Hohawaqk asked the old man what he thought. 

 The people, seeing how skillful he was, said " Play ! " whereupon he 

 went to the ball-ground, ragged and looking poor. There were but 

 two playing, one on each side. Hinon Hohawaqk jumped, knocking 

 the club far out of his opponent's hand. Then the old woman's son 

 ran for his club, but before he could get it back Hinon Hohawaqk 

 had sent the ball through the goal posts. This was repeated seven 

 times and Hinon Hohawaqk won the game. " Now," said he to all 

 the people, "you can have the heads of the old woman and her 

 son." The two heads were cut off, and the boys played with the old 

 woman's head over the whole field. 



"Now," said Hinon Hohawaqk; "I am going to bring my grand- 

 mother to this place, and we must all come here to stay and have 

 this long dwelling in which to live." All went home to their lodges, 

 and as the Son of Thunder went, he sang praises of himself, and his 

 gi-andmother heard him on his way. He told her what he had done, 

 saying, " We must all go there and live in that fine dwelling and 

 field." She prepared provisions and they went. It took them a long- 

 time to reach the place. All the other people having reached there 

 also, they built dwellings aroimd the field. "When all had settled 

 down, Hinon Hohawaqk called them to the council lodge to have a 

 dance. After they had finished the dance, all went to their homes. 

 Putting away her old blanket, the grandmother began to dress. 

 Having put on the clothes left by the old woman who lost her 



