^"/j;^] LEGENDS 389 



70. Okteoxdon and Haient'hwus'*' (the Planters) 



Okteondon was a youth who lived with his maternal uncle, 

 Haient'hwus, in an arborlike lodge in the forest. From his eailiest 

 babyhood Okteondon lay carefully hidden from the eyes of the 

 people, having been for this purpose securely fastened under the 

 roots of a large tree, around which his uncle had erected his lodge.'"" 

 Okteondon had now reached the age of puberty. 



One day while Haieiit'hwus was in the neighboring field plant in"' 

 corn, he heard his nephew singing in a loud voice: "Now. I am 

 rising. Now, I am rising." Dropping his planting-stick and shout- 

 ing, " No, my nephew, you are not ready yet ; you are in too gretit a 

 hurry," Haient'hwus ran home, where he found that Okteondon 

 had raised his head by partially uprooting and overturning the 

 sheltering tree. Haient'hwus therefore pushed him back into his 

 place, admonishing him, " I will tell you when it is time for you to 

 arise." 



The next day Haieiit'hwus again went out to plant corn. He had 

 hardly reached the field when he heard once more his nephew begin 

 to sing and to strive to arise. Haieiit'hwus at once started for the 

 lodge, running with so much haste that he lost on the way all his 

 seed corn from his seeding basket. When he i-eached home he found 

 the tree half uprooted and leaning far over to one side. So he pushed 

 his nephew back into his place, but he was unable to reset the tree as 

 firmly or as nearly upright as it was before. 



On the third day Haieiit'hwus again went out to finish his corn 

 planting, but the moment that he began to drop the grains of corn 

 he heard still again the singing of his nephew. So Haieiit'hwus with- 

 out delay rushed back to the lodge, but while running he heard an 

 awful crash and crackling of limbs, from which he knew that the 

 tree had fallen. When he reached the lodge he found Okteondon 

 sitting on the ground. Haieiit'hwus did not return to the field to 

 complete his corn planting, but remained in his home to look after 

 his nephew and to make the necessary preparations for the coming 

 marriage of the young man. 



Early the next morning they heard sounds outside the lodge, and 

 shortly afterward a woman and a beautiful younger woman, who 

 were Wadi'oniondies, entered the lodge. One of the women, address- 

 ing Okteondon. said, " I have come purposely to take you home 

 with me." " It is well. I consent," answered the youth, who started 

 at once to cross the lodge to accompany her and her companion. 

 But Haieiit'hwus stopped him with the remark : " You must not go 

 yet. You have friends who are coming to escort you, and must wait 

 for them." Then " The Planter " hastened to prepare some food to 

 eat, and for this purpose placed a large kettle of hominy over the 



