634 SENECA FICnON, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. ann.32 



give up to me the body of the bird which you have." The answer 

 came, " I will not give it up to you." The old man, now in a great 

 rage, retorted : " You are risking j'our life. You are about to die, 

 and you can not escape from it." With these words he raised his 

 war club, shouting, "Will you hand me the bird, or not?" But the 

 young man still replied, " No. I will not give it up to you." Then 

 the old man struck the youth on the head with the club and killed 

 him. Thus he recovered the body of the bird and gave back its life *^" 

 (which was that of a female relation of the old man). 



These events gave great pleasure to the old man, who went around 

 saying: "There is nothing that yet affects my oi'enda; I am not suf- 

 fering in any manner; no one from any place can come here who 

 is able to treat me lightly." So the old man was quite happy. Hav- 

 ing brought out his great clay pot, with water in it, he set it over the 

 fire, and after quartering the body of the young man, he placed it 

 all in the pot to cook. After a suitable time he remarked, " It is 

 perhaps cooked now." He kept on looking into the pot from time 

 to time to see whether the flesh was done. As it seemed not to cook 

 thoroughly, the old man was greatly concei'ned about it, and con- 

 tinued saying, "There is something wrong; otherwise it would be 

 possible to cook this thoroughly." Finally, getting out of patience, 

 the old man removed the pot from the fire and ate the raw flesh. 



Now, in the lodge of the brothers there was anxiety when night 

 came and none of the brothers who had gone northward had re- 

 turned, and the five I'emaining In'others were wondering what had 

 befallen them. Wlien those who were left were back in their lodge 

 Little Burnt Belly said, "Oh, elder brother! you must go tomorrow 

 to bring tiiem back." Then they retired for the niglit and went to 

 sleep. In the morning they arose and all except Little Burnt Belly 

 went to hunt, as usual. The latter seated himself beside the fire 

 and there he sat all day long withoiit moving. AVhen evening came 

 the two missing brothers had not returned, and the hunting brothers 

 eame back empty handed, having killed nothing during the day. 

 They all saw Little Burnt Belly seated beside the fire, silent and 

 motionless. 



The brothers retired for the night and slept soundly. AVhen 

 daylight came and they arose they saw Little Burnt Belly still seated 

 beside the fire. He maintained the one position and said nothing 

 to any of his brothers. When they a their breakfast he did not 

 arise to have his share. The other brothers then left the lodge to 

 go out hunting for game animals for food. After they had gone 

 Little Burnt Belly arose, saying, " Let me amuse my elder brothei-s." 

 Thereupon he then took down his bow and ari'ows, and shot two 

 arrows up out of the smoke-hole of the lodge. 



