^^/^^S] LEGENDS 535 



As the brothers were engaged in the chase at no great distance 

 one from another, they were greatly surprised to see a very hirge 

 deer rush up to them and fall dead at their feet, and soon another 

 deer did likewise. They saw that an arrow protruded from the 

 body of each deer — a circumstance which was very mysterious to 

 tiiem. As quickly as possible one of the brothers rushed up to the 

 stricken deer, and breaking off a leaf, wrapped it around the arrow 

 before touching it with his hand to draw it forth, saying, " I do 

 not desire to uncharm my youngest brother's arrow." Then draw- 

 ing out the arrow, he carefully laid it up in the fork of a tree. 

 Having done this he started at once for home, carrying the whole 

 body of the deer. Before it was dark Little Burnt Belly saw his 

 elder brother bringing back the deer. Not long afterward the 

 other brother came into the lodge bearing on his back the other 

 deer properly packed for carrying. The other two brothers returned 

 with them as guards. 



They found Little Burnt Belly still seated before the fire. But 

 when they were back in the lodge he said to them, " Our missing 

 brothers have not yet returned home. Tomorrow I myself will go 

 on their trail to seek for them." After eating their evening meal 

 they retired for the night and slept soundly. When morning came 

 they prepared their usual breakfast and then started out to hunt. 

 Thereupon Little Burnt Belly arose, and going to his couch procured 

 such articles of apparel as he needed for his journey. He toolc also 

 his bow and arrows, which were his immediate trust and depend- 

 ence for accomplishing his task, for they were full of orenda (magic 

 power), which he could control for his own use. He ate no break- 

 fast; he needed none, for he desired to have all his faculties clear 

 and alert. While seated beside the fire he had been taking suitable 

 medicine to make him sound and clear visioned that he might be able 

 to cope with the wizard whom he suspected of having destroyed his 

 missing brothers. 



Leaving the lodge. Little Burnt Belly shaped his course northward 

 to find the trail of his three brothers. It was not long before he 

 struck this, and he followed it on the run, presently entering a vast 

 forest who.se great trees made it dark and gloomy. He had been run- 

 ning for a large portion of the day when he saw daylight through 

 the trees, from which he inferred that there must be a clearing 

 ahead of him. Keeping his course, finally he came to the edge of a 

 large clearing or field. As he saw the tracks of his brothers there, 

 he stopped to look around. Immediately he heard a peculiar sound 

 of tapping, and looking in the direction whence the sound seemed to 

 come he perceived that it proceeded from the opposite side of a 

 great valley just ahead of him. Making his way along to the brink 



