622 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [Exn, ann. 32 



the being come forth from its lair and concluded that it was what 

 they called a squirrel. But the being, or squirrel, thrust its body 

 only partially out of its hiding place; at once the men of Thunder 

 hurled their shots at it ; there were loud thunderings and the light- 

 ning flashes were vivid, and there arose a great tumult and a terrific 

 hurricane. In a short time the men of Thunder ceased for a mo- 

 ment, having failed to hit the being. At once the squirrel (or being) 

 quickly descended the tree on which it then was, and running to 

 another tree, climbed it in an effort to escape its tormentors. But 

 very soon the men of Thunder shivered this tree, whereupon the 

 squirrel, having fled back to the first tree, swiftly climbed back . 

 into its lair. Then the men of Thunder said : " Now, indeed, you 

 have seen what we call Otkon. The time is long in which we have 

 been making vain efforts to destroy this being, this great Otkon." 



In replying, Dehaenhyowens said : " It is now our turn ; we will 

 attempt to kill the Otkon." But the men of Thunder answered, 

 "We fear that the attempt will not result favorably; you may be 

 injured, for, indeed, this is an Otkon beyond measure." Dehaen- 

 hyowens replied assuringly, " We know that we can accomplish this 

 task." '' If you are determined to make the attempt, we will assist 

 you should you fail," said the men of Thunder. Going up to the 

 tree in which the squirrel had its lair, one of the party of Dehaen- 

 hyowens tapped on it with his club. Forthwith the squirrel again 

 thrust out its body and gazed at the men. Taking a knob-headed 

 arrow from his quiver. Dehaenhyowens shot at it, hitting the squirrel 

 fair in the head and causing it to come tumbling to the ground. 



Thereupon the men of Thunder, taking up the body of the squirrel, 

 started for home, with their guests. When they reached their lodge 

 the men of Thunder said to the old woman, " Now, in fact, our vis- 

 itors have killed it ; they have indeed killed the Otkon, which for a 

 very long time we have failed in our attempts to kill." Answering 

 this, the old woman said: "I am very thankful to receive this news. 

 This then shall be done: the skin of this Otkon shall belong to me; 

 as it is so precious, it shall be the robe of my couch." So Dehaenhy- 

 owens carefully skinned the squirrel; after doing this he neatly pre- 

 pared the skin, which he spread on a suitable frame to dry. Wlien 

 it had thoroughly dried Dehaenhyowens presented it to the old 

 woman, assuring her that was the method his people employed in 

 preserving the skins of animals. The old woman received the skin 

 with man}' thanks, for she felt that she had come into possession of a 

 skin which was very precious to her. 



Then, addressing the men of her lodge, she said: " Our visitors are 

 the ones who have accomplished this thing for us. In token of this 

 one (if our visitors shall remain here as one of us. He shall be a co- 

 worker with you for the reason that he and his kindred were able 



