^^^JS] TRADITIONS 435 



quois was captm-ed his or her fate was left to the decision of two 

 women, whose privilege it was to determine how such a person 

 should be tortured. These two women at this council decided that 

 Hatcinondon should be hung up and tortured to death by fii'e. So 

 he was securely bound to a tree, the war post, and wood was care- 

 fully piled up under and around him. He had given himself up as 

 lost. They were about to set fire to the pyre of wood when a violent 

 rainstorm came up, causing the women to defer the execution until 

 the storm should have passed over. All the people sought shelter 

 from the storm, leaving Hatcinondon tied to the war post. While 

 there alone he saw an old woman coming toward him, who said: 

 '"My grandson, you think that you are going to die, but j'ou are not. 

 Try to stir youi-self." Thereupon, moving himself about, he found 

 that his bonds were loosened and that he was free. " You see now 

 that you are free," she said; " I thought that I would come to return 

 your kindness. You remember your people once made a circle of fire 

 and I was in the middle of it. You recall, pei'haps, that you saw a 

 toad in the middle, and that you saved the toad, placing it in your 

 bosom. I was that toad. You carried me until you came to water, 

 in which you placed me. This is the reason I am returning your 

 kindness, for I see that you are in trouble now. I brought that rain- 

 storm and now I Avant you to run in the direction of the next stream, 

 and you must continue down the stream." 



When the rainstorm was over the two women returned to the war 

 post, only to find that Hatcinondon had escaped. They gave the 

 alarm at once, and the warriors assembled, calling the dogs, which 

 forthwith took up the trail. Soon they reached the stream and fol- 

 lowed the current. As Hatcinondon fled he came to a tree that 

 leaned over the water. He found that the trunk was hollow and 

 that he could get into it from the water and then crawl farther up. 

 Here the dogs lost the trail and finally the pursuit was abandoned. 

 When the pursuers had departed he heard two people approaching 

 the spot, talking. Presently they sat on the tree at the very place 

 where he was concealed. He overheard them say, "It is wonderful 

 how that man escaped from us." Hatcinondon was ver}' careful not 

 to cough lest he should be discovered. But at last he heard them 

 depart and there was no further sound of talking. At last, having 

 come out of the hollow in the tree, he went southward, down the 

 stream. When night was approaching, while walking along he heard 

 a blow which sounded like that of an ax on a tree. Being greatly 

 frightened, he became very wary in his movements. While standing 

 listening, he saw three men, who had made a fire where they were 

 going to camp for the night. When darkness had fully set in he 

 crept up stealthily, shielded by a very large tree. Standing behind 

 this tree, he saw that the men were sound asleep and were snoring. 



