440 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS Ieth akn. 32 



all the Stone Coat people assembled to see the race. The young 

 man's father-in-law said, " You need not be afraid. I will help you." 

 Taking some substance out of a stone box, he rubbed it over the 

 man's body. Thereupon he and his opponent, locking arms, ran until 

 they reached a tree, when they were to have let go and run on, but the 

 Stone Coat held on to the man's hand, so that their locked arms bent 

 over the hemlock tree. When they got nearly to the end of the tree 

 the Stone Coat let go, causing the tree to spring back, throwing the 

 man backward a good distance. The young man, hurrying forward, 

 outran the Stone Coat, and cut his head off in the presence of all. 



87. Genonsgwa 



Once while a man was out hunting in the woods he saw that a 

 Genonsgwa was following him, and thereupon he began to run for 

 his life. Finally, when closely pressed, he ran up on a tree trunk 

 which in falling had become lodged on another. The Stone Coat 

 stopped and stood looking around, but he could not find the man, 

 for his body was rigid on account of his Stone Coat, so he could not 

 look upward. Then the man saw him draw from his pouch a magical 

 finger, which he placed in the palm of his hand. The finger at once 

 raised itself, pointing to the man in the tree. When the man, who 

 was a fast runner, saw the magical finger pointing at him he knew 

 that he could slip down from the tree, snatch the magical finger, and 

 escape with it. He did so. Stone Coat shouted after him, begging, 

 praying, and promising to be his friend forever if he would give back 

 the magical finger. The man was afraid to go near Stone Coat lest 

 the latter might deceive and seize him ; so finally he threw the magic 

 finger back to the Stone Coat. Ever after this particular n>an and the 

 Stone Coat were on friendly terms. 



88. Genonsgwa 



At times men got lost while hunting in the forest, and it was sup- 

 posed by their friends that Stone Coats ate them. 



Once three Seneca went out on tlie warpath against some other 

 tribes. They joui-neyed directly westward from the place whei-e the 

 Seneca lived. After a day's journey they encamped in a deep ravine 

 at the head of a stream. When they had made their fire they saw a 

 fine-looking man coming toward them. AVhen he came up, he said : 

 " I think it well to do what I am going to do. I have come to tell 

 you that there are hundreds of people on the warpath who intend to 

 eat people. Tonight you must camp here. They will make their 

 camp in sight of yours. One of you three must go to their fire and 

 say: 'Hallo, I have discovered your fire. Where are you going?' 

 They will answer: 'We are on the warpath." Your man must reply: 



