504 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. ANN. »i 



Suddenly he noticed his uncle approaching in great haste, 

 anxiously looking up at the lodge, for he saw his nephew Gajihsondis 

 running around on the roof. When the uncle reached the doorway, 

 which, as was the custom in those times, was closed by two pieces 

 of bark, he found these ajar, for the inside of the lodge was, as 

 already said, filled with the mush and kettle. The uncle began to 

 blow on the mush, whereupon it at once diminished in quantity, and 

 after he had blown on it many times it was reduced to small bulk. 



The nephew still stood on the roof of the lodge, greatly frightened. 

 The uncle said to him, "Come, now, Gajihsondis, get down from 

 there." At this the nephew descended from the roof and reentered 

 the lodge. Thereupon his uncle said, " Now you have killed me. I 

 did not think that you would do this, although fear that you might 

 is the reason why I never permitted you to see me prepare my food, 

 because you have no sense." Then covering himself with a skin 

 robe, he lay down, adding : " So I shall die here. I do not know 

 that thei'e is anything left for me to eat. Hunger will kill me, and 

 you have brought this about by your acts." Having said this he 

 covered himself up completely. 



Thereupon the boy arose and standing beside the couch of his 

 uncle, said beseechingly, " Oh, my uncle ! my mother's brother, only 

 have pity on me. But tell me where the place is in which abounds 

 that on which you live?" The old uncle replied commiseratingly : 

 " It is no use for me to tell you. You are not able to go to obtain it, 

 on account of the great difficulties along the path ; there are all man- 

 ner of discouraging perils along the way, for all manner of demoniac 

 creatures lay in ambush along the path.*"' And so for these reasons 

 I think you are unable to undertake the task of trying to get me 

 more of my food." The boy simply asked, " What is the name of 

 the substance you eat?" "It is called Chestnut. Far from here it 

 is planted by personages, beastlike in appearance, which are full of 

 evil magic power or otkon in their actions." " Oh, mother's brother ! 

 it is needful for you to tell me the direction that the path takes going 

 to that place," said the lad. The uncle answered, " It is im- 

 possible for you to do anything in that direction; you are powerless. 

 You can not make the attempt and live." Then after some reflection 

 he added, '' The path leads directly west from here." To this the boy 

 Gajihsondis answered : " I will make the attempt. I will start, and I 

 will get this thing called Chestnut that you are in the habit of eating. 

 So now I go. I have fastened together two limbs. You must look at 

 these from time to time. Whenever they break apart, you will know 

 that I have had ill luck away from here; that probably I shall be 

 killed by them. So only keep a watch on this thing, and if it chance 

 that they do not break apart, you may expect me to return after the 



