392 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS (eth. ann. S2 



did this because he was angei'ed by the action of the women in driv- 

 ing the game away, thus causing him to go so far to hunt to find 

 the bear he iiad killed, and in having stolen the leggings and moc- 

 casins of one of his companions. 



Early the next morning Okteondon and his companions returned 

 to their camp fires. When the women arose they could not find the 

 canoe in which their outdoor garments were kept. So they had to 

 run around from place to place naked, trying in vain to find them. 

 At last they discovered the canoe in the top of the tree; whereupon 

 the eldest of the sisters said, " I will try to get it down." Moistening 

 both her hands and feet with saliva, which she rubbed thoroughly 

 into them, the nails on her fingers and toes presently grew long 

 and powerful, resembling the claws of a bear. Then the woman 

 began to climb the tree. She succeeded in getting halfway up the 

 icy trunk when, losing her grip, she slid down, her powerful nails 

 tearing the ice as she slipped, until she struck the ground in a sitting 

 posture. She made several attempts to reach the canoe but each time 

 failed. All the sisters talked together over the situation, finally 

 deciding that no one but Okteondon had played them this mean 

 trick. When they asked him about it, he replied, " I put your canoe 

 on the tree top because you insulted me and so made me angry." 

 The women all promised that they would not do such things again 

 if he would get the canoe for them. So, relenting, Okteondon asked 

 the Tree to bend down a second time. As the top reached the ground, 

 Okteondon took the canoe therefrom, which he gave back to the 

 women. They were then able to dress themselves. After doing so, 

 they took their food out of the canoe, and, having cooked and eaten 

 their morning meal, they continued their journey homeward in the 

 canoe. Shortly the four men followed them, keeping the trail all 

 day. 



Toward evening the men noticed before them smoke in the dis- 

 tance. When they drew near it they saw that it arose from the 

 middle of a great lake covered with smooth ice. The four sisters 

 were encamped in the middle of this lake, and Okteondon told his 

 friends that he would make ready to camp on the ice, too. Gathering 

 a handful of dry leaves and hemlock boughs, he said to his com- 

 panions: "Be cautious and follow my steps. Be sure that each of 

 j'ou step exactly in my tracks." When near the camp of the women 

 Okteondon remarked, " We will camp here." Laying down his hand- 

 ful of wood, it at once increased in size, becoming a great pile, where- 

 upon he said, " I want a fire to be here "; and there was there imme- 

 diately a fire. Then he scattered the handful of hemlock boughs on 

 one side of the fire, saying. " In this place shall be our lodge and 

 beds," and straightwaj' there was a lodge, and within were beds for 

 every one present. 



