^,^JJ^] LEGENDS 515 



'• Come with me to hunt." Having accepted his invitation, they 

 started on their hunting trip, but they had not gone very far when 

 they were surprised by a small herd of deer, which fled from them. 

 Then the young bridegroom said to his brothers-in-law, " Remain 

 here, and I alone will pursue them from place to place." In a short 

 time he shot at one and hit it, and it fell. Then, following the 

 remaining deer, he killed them one by one. Thereupon he stopped, 

 and hailing his brothers-in-law, said to them, " Come hither, my 

 brothers-in-law, and let us dress these deer." So they went to him 

 and took part in the skinning of the deer. \^Tien they had finished 

 dressing the carcasses they began at once to pack the pelts and the 

 venison into suitable bundles in such manner as was customary in 

 the early time. When they were all ready they bore these bundles on 

 their backs by means of the forehead strap — the usual and the most 

 convenient method of carrying heavy burdens; and they started for 

 their home with Oiigwe' Hanges"hii' in the lead. 



Having arrived at their lodge, they laid their packs of venison and 

 pelts at the feet of their mother, who wept for the great joy she had 

 in receiving so much venison, saying: "I am very thankful to my 

 son-in-law for this bounty, and on my part I will fulfill my duty in 

 providing the feast of the ' eat-all-up,'*^' which shall take place to- 

 morrow." So the next morning they put the kettles over the fire in 

 the early dawn, and the daughters set to work industriously to pre- 

 pare food for the approaching feast. Suddenly the old woman. 

 GodwennisVdani', went out of the lodge and ran through the vil- 

 lage, saying to the people: "The feast of eat-all-up is to be held at 

 my lodge. Let all go directly to the place whence I have come, and 

 start at once." This she said as she went through the village, and 

 then she returned to her own home. Then her daughters and sons 

 removed the kettles from the fire: and they placed the corn-meal 

 mush and the venison, cooked in pieces, in bark trays and bowls 

 which they had ready to receive the prepared food. 



Now people began to arrive, and they sat down and became very 

 quiet. At this time the old woman, the mother of the daughters of 

 the lodge, Godwennia"dani', said, addressing the assembly: "Now, 

 vou who have come here this day know that the usual custom for a 

 feast of this kind shall be followed. You who have come in by 

 invitation shall first eat your shares of the food : and it was for this 

 reason that I desired a feast of eat-all-up as my thanks offering; and 

 when you have finished eating, then my children and I will eat. For 

 such is the custom when one marries. Now, then, you must eat. 

 You must eat up all that is apportioned to you, for this is the reason 

 that this feast is called the feast of eat-all-up." 



Thereupon the neighbors began to eat. They ate during the entire 

 day; they ate the venison: they enjoyed also the corn-meal mush; and 



