594 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. a.\n.32 



" I will go back to my place as soon as I think he has returned to 

 his own seat on his side of the fire." As he started, the old man 

 again began to sing: " I'm "Am, yu"'hen, he and I are bartering; 

 thou Gadjis'dodo', thou who art a nephew; yu'^hen, yu"hen.'" 

 Believing that his uncle had resumed his seat, the nephew returned 

 to his couch, where he found the old man sitting, smoking. The old 

 man said merely: " We, oh, my nephew ! have now finished this task." 

 The next morning the youth again went to the place where the 

 skull of his other uncle was protruding from the ground. When 

 he arrived there his uncle asked him what had taken place last 

 night. In answer, the yoTith related in great detail just what had 

 come to pass between the old man and himself. He told him all very 

 carefully. Thereupon this uncle said : " Now, it is a fact that he is 

 collecting more logs and putting them on the fire and near it. for 

 he will again make a large fire this very night. And it is. too. a 

 fact that when he has his dream tonight, he will say in his own 

 mind that he desires the liver of a bear. This you do not possess. 

 Be brave and do your very best. This time you must hunt for 

 fungi that grow on old rotten logs. These you must procure — 

 two in number — and you must treat tiiem in the same manner as 

 _you did the grapevine, and at once they will become bear's livers. 

 So, now, go out hunting for these things." The youth at once started 

 on his quest for fungi in the forest. He was not very long in finding 

 the two that he required for his purpose. At once he rubbed them 

 with his hands, saying at the same time: "Let these soon become 

 bear's livers." Immediately the transformation took place as he 

 wished. 



Then he started for the lodge, where dwelt his uncle. Arriving 

 there, he said: "Oh, my uncle! I have now returned." He saw 

 that the fire was a great one. Night came on at last, and the two lay 

 down to sleep, but the youth did not fall asleep. It was perhaps 

 midnight when suddenly the old man began to moan and groan with 

 increasing force and loudness; all at once he arose and crawled 

 aroimd there on his knees. Finally, with a loud cry, 'e?!', he threw 

 himself on the fire. At once large pieces of wood, all ablaze, fell in 

 every direction, some in the direction of the youth's bed. Quickly 

 arising and crossing over to the opposite side of the fire, he took 

 down the war club of his uncle, and seeing the head of the latter 

 close to him, moving from place to place, he struck it a blow with 

 the club, at the same time saying: "Oh, my uncle! what is causing 

 you to see marvels?" Then qiiickly he raised the club for another 

 blow. Suddenly, however, the dream ceased, and the old man ex- 

 claimed, to avoid another blow of the war club: "It has stopped 

 now." Having said this he drew aside and took a seat. The youth 

 did likewise. Addressing his nephew, the old man said: "Oh, 



