hewi'tt] legends 421 



For a long time the boys brought the worm birds, then rabbits, all 

 of which it ate. The worm grew very rapidly, became very long 

 and thick — a huge monster. The boys never told their parents or 

 relations about the worm, for they were afraid of losing their sport. 

 They would go early every morning to see the worm. The creature 

 swallowed everything that came within its reach. 



One day while the boys were throwing the worm food they began 

 to wrestle, and in the excitement the youngest boy was thrown near 

 the creature. In an instant the boy was swallowed. At this the rest 

 of the boys were terribly frightened. When the child was missed 

 the parents looked for him everywhere ; they went among the boys to 

 see whether he had not spent the night with one of them. But they 

 could, not get the slightest clue to the whereabouts of the boy. The 

 other boys said that they had seen him the day before; that was all 

 they pretended to know. 



After this the boys pushed two or three others of their number 

 near the worm, which devoured them, too. It had become very large 

 and ferocious, and ruled the boys by a spell. One day they found 

 that the worm had killed and eaten a deer. Thereupon they were 

 seized with great fear, for the creature had grown so immense, and 

 they ran away without having their usual sport. 



Now the village was built on a large mound-like hill, sloping on all 

 sides. The morning after the boys had failed to feed the worm the 

 people were alarmed to find the village surrounded by a terrible mon- 

 ster. They were afraid to go near it, although they knew that they 

 must die if they remained shut up in the village. At last the greater 

 number, having found on one side what seemed to them to be an 

 opening, all rushed in. It was the mouth of the worm and all were 

 swallowed. ' Then the boys told those who remained that it was this 

 worm that hud eaten the missing children. 



When they saw that all who had tried thus to escape were de- 

 voured they were terrified, and counseled together to save them- 

 selves. Only a few were left. These decided to appeal to their 

 grandfather, Hinon. So. burning tobacco, they called on their 

 grandfather, Hinon, the Thunder god. imploring him to save them 

 from this awful worm. As soon as the tobacco was burning, they 

 heard him approaching in a great black storm cloud with terrific 

 noise. With his lightning he struck the worm, tearing it to pieces. 

 These pieces rolled down the hillside into the valley below, which 

 became a lake. 



78. The Chipmunk and the Bear 



The Bear thought herself a very powerful creature in the exercise 

 of orenda (magic power), and hence was always trying to exhibit 

 this power before other animals. 



