424 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. axn. 32 



tiling that may come in your way. A man that can kill a deer is 

 a great hunter, and he then can kill all kinds of game." 



The next time the youth went to hunt he brought back a fine bear. 

 His grandfather was now very happy, for they had an abundance 

 of meat. Assuring the youth that he had arrived at the age of man- 

 hood, as indicated by the change in his voice, he said to him : " My 

 grandson, I am much pleased with you. You may go when hunting 

 in every direction except toward the east. You must not go toward 

 the east, for there dwell very wicked women, who have killed through 

 sorcery all our people. So give heed to what I tell you." 



The next time that the young man started off to hunt he directed 

 his course southward. But as he traveled on he kept thinking of 

 those wicked women in the east, who had destroyed all his kindred. 

 Finally, he decided to change his course from the southward to east- 

 ward, and he kept on for some time in the latter direction. At last 

 he came to a tree which was covered all over with what appeared 

 to be the scratches and nail marks of raccoons, whereupon he said 

 to himself, " There must be a large number of raccoons in this tree." 

 So he removed his outer garments and laid aside his bow and ar- 

 rows ; then taking a stout club, he climbed the tree until he came to a 

 hole very near the top. Peering into this opening, he saw many rac- 

 coons down in the hollow trunk. By thrusting his club down among 

 them, he killed a number. Drawing them up, he threw them on the 

 ground at the foot of the tree. Finally he chanced to look down — 

 there at the very foot of the tree he saw a beautiful young woman 

 sitting on a log. As soon as she caught his eye she exclaimed, " Come 

 down here. I wish to talk with you, so do not delay." The young 

 man paid no attention to her at first, but kept on killing the rac- 

 coons and casting them down to the ground. She hailed him again, 

 urging him to come down to talk with her. To avoid her, he crept 

 around the tree, and there he changed himself into a red-headed 

 woodpecker. Next he climbed up higher into the tree, pecking at 

 the bark as he went for a short time. Then he shot his arrow off 

 toward home; it whizzed through the air making a sound like a 

 woodpecker. The young woman, who thought that he was the ar- 

 row. Hew after him with all her might. But the young man, assum- 

 ing again his own form, slipped down the tree, and after putting 

 on his garments and gathering up the raccoons and his bow and 

 arrows, he started for home. 



His grandfather was gi'eatly delighted to see so great a number 

 of raccoons, but when he learned where the young man had got them 

 he became very angry and chided him severely, saying, "' You must 

 not go there again, for if you do great harm and evil will befall us." 



The next day the young man started off from home, going directly 

 southward. But when he was out of sight of the lodge he suddenly 



