562 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. an.n.S2 



When they two were about to begin eating the husband again took 

 down a quarter of venison, which he threw over his shoulder across 

 the fire to the strange woman, who caught it and began to eat it raw, 

 the blood even dripping from her mouth, so ravenously did she eat. 

 When they had eaten breakfast the strange woman said: "Now, my 

 wish has been fulfilled — my wish to visit this place." All remained 

 there in the lodge. After a while, however, the strange woman 

 arose, carrying her child, and, walking over to where the hunter was 

 seated, said to him : " Lo, take this child, for it is but your own 

 child. Here it is." Shrinking away, the husband drew back his 

 hands, but the woman, preferring that he should have the child, gave 

 it to him, so he had to accept it. Thereupon, the woman said, " I 

 desired that he should just look on his child, and it was for this 

 reason that we two came hither." So saying, she returned to the 

 opposite side of the fire, where she again seated herself. The hus- 

 band sat still, holding his child, dubious as to its real character. 

 After a while he arose, and going over to the place where the woman 

 sat, on the opposite side of the fire, he gave the child back to its 

 mother. Then returning to his own side of the room, saying, " I am 

 now going out to hunt again," he started from the lodge. 



In tlie meantime the two women remained in the lodge with their 

 children of the same size. The strange woman said to her com- 

 panion in a comforting way : " You must not have any fear of me." 

 When her child fell asleep she laid it down on her couch and care- 

 fully covered it with a skin robe. Then, turning to her hostess, she 

 said : " I will fetch some fuel, because it is so difficult and trying for 

 you at all times to have to bring it." With these words she left the 

 lodge in quest of wood. She was absent a long time, when suddenly 

 there came a sound, da — A, which drew nearer and nearer, as 

 if one were dragging some great object along the ground. On look- 

 ing out to see the cause of the noise, the hunter's wife saw the 

 strange woman approaching with a huge tree in her arms, which 

 she threw down just outside the doorway; it was a whole dead tree, 

 which was dry and hard. She proceeded at once to break up the 

 tree, and when she had finished her task there was a great pile of 

 wood — fuel for the lodge fire. The wife of the hunter was greatly 

 astonished at the enormous .strength of the strange woman, and she 

 again was filled with great fear. Then the other woman, entering 

 the lodge, said : " I have now supplied you with a quantity of fuel." 

 Thereupon, she seated herself on the opposite side of the fire. 



She had just taken her seat, when suddenly she arose, saying: 

 " 'A"ha' ! Now comes my husband trailing me. Have courage now, 

 oh, my friend ! and help me. Hasten ! Be quick ! Go cut basswood 

 poles, three in number, and you must sharpen them. You must be 

 quick about it, too, for if he shall overpower us we two must 



