468 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS (eth. ann. 32 



he continued to climb as it rose. With the first streak of dawn in the 

 east the hunter saw that all the shorter trees were covered with water, 

 while around him on all sides were great niunbers of monsters wait- 

 ing to devour him. He sat at the top of the tallest tree on the island. 

 While looking around for some avenue of escape he saw the Mornin^ 

 Star shining brightly in the east. Remembering that the Morning 

 Star had promised him in a dream in the days of his youth to help 

 him in the time of trouble or peril, he prayed that the Morning Star 

 would hasten the coming of the day, for he believed that with the 

 advent of daylight the waters would subside and he would be saved. 

 He cried in the anguish of his mind : " Oh, Morning Star ! hasten the 

 Orb of Day. Oh, Morning Star ! hurry on the daylight. You prom- 

 ised when I was young that you would help me if I ever should be in 

 great peril." Now, the Morning Star lived in a beautiful lodge, with 

 a small boy as a servant. Hearing the voice of the hunter appealing 

 to him for aid, he called out to the servant, " Who is that shouting on 

 the island ? " The small boy replied, " Oh ! that is the husband of the 

 little old woman's granddaughter. He says that you promised him 

 in a dream when he was j'oung that you would help in the time of 

 trouble." The Morning Star answered, "Oh, yes! I did promise 

 him to do so. Let the Orb of Day come at once." Immediately 

 daylight came, and the water on the island subsided. 



When the waters were dried from the land the hunter slipped down 

 from the tree, and going to the landing place he buried himself in the 

 dand, leaving only his nostrils and one eye exposed. Early in the 

 forenoon the old woman came again to the island. Drawing up the 

 canoe on the beach, she said to herself: "The flesh of my grand- 

 daughter's husband has been eaten up by this time, but I suppose his 

 bones are left. Being veiy young, they must have good marrow in 

 them, so I think I will have some of this marrow." So saying, she 

 started to search the island for the bones. The man was watching 

 her, and when she had gone far enough away he sprang up out of 

 the sand, and boarding the canoe pushed off and paddled away. 

 When he had gone some distance from the island the old woman saw 

 him, whereupon she cried out in agony of despair, " Oh, grandson, 

 come back ! I will never play another trick on you. I will love you." 

 The hunter replied in derision, " Oh, no ! I will not return. You 

 shall play no more tricks on me," and continued to paddle away. 



When night came the water on the island began to rise. Then the 

 old woman climbed the tall pine tree to escape the monsters waiting 

 to devour her. Between midnight and sunrise the water, still rising, 

 was nearing the treetop where the old woman was, when she called 

 out to the Morning Star. " You promised me when I was young 

 that you would help me when I should be in distress." The Morn- 

 ing Star asked the boy, " Is that man down there on the island yet?" 



